MAXEDOUT
by Infinite Vibrance
Summary: Sasuke-the biggest prick on the planet earth-Uchiha is nothing but a bastard in every way, shape, and form and yet... I still find myself loving him.
1. Dressing Up

I wanted to post a oneshot today, but then I had this new story in the works... and so many SasuNaru pictures on Tumblr popped up fueling my inspiration... so you all get this new story called **MAXED-OUT**.

**Warning: This is AU to the extreme. Sasuke and Naruto are involved in the music industry, J-pop to be exact c; with a hint of rock here and there. They also go to school (sort of based on Kirarin Revolution). Naruto obviously has some affections towards Sasuke early on, in a humorous way of course, but Sasuke's a bastard. So... you know... Sucks for Naruto. There will be drama. There will be misunderstandings. As always I'll incorperate humor whenever it can occur because that's just how I roll ;D OH YEAH. ALSO THIS FIC IS IN NARUTO'S POV. THE WHOLE DAMN TIME. BECAUSE HE IS ONE HILARIOUS BLONDIE. This first chapter is also short. So... enjoy ;o.**

**Disclaimer: Derp. Derp derp. I... wish I could own T^T.**

And the summary once again:** Summary: "Let me tell you something about Raven, aka Sasuke—the biggest prick alive—Uchiha! He's an asshole, a jackass, and a jerk face! He's one of the coldest bastards you'll probably _ever _meet." I blew a piece of blond hair out of my eyes and leaned back into the chair, _'But somehow I'm _still _in love with him.' _What a world.**

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><p><strong>MAXED-OUT<strong>

**Chapter One: Dressed Up**

Where is he? Where is he? Where is—Oh yeah, his dressing room.

"Sasuke Motherfucking Uchiha!" I'm pretty sure I nearly kicked the door off its hinges with my kick. Did I care? No. Not really. My fists were screaming to connect with Sasuke's face at the moment and they were going to do just that!

Hinata, one of our many hair and make-up artists nearly jumped out of her skin. She was really easy to scare, you know? Barely had to move and she'd be halfway to Heaven.

Now Sasuke, on the other hand, could see me perfectly in the mirror. I would know because I caught his gaze—the one that clearly spoke: "Fuck off".

Well I won't be doing any fucking off anytime soon, Uchiha!

Sasuke pretty much ignored my presence after that and flashed Hinata one of those fake smiles he threw around like glitter at a party. "I'm sorry for my partner's lack of conscience when it comes to his surroundings. I've been trying to train him but as you can see... He's unteachable."

Unteachable? Did he just call me that? No, wait, did he just insult me? Duh, of course he did. Because he's a prick! A stuck up, good for nothing, stick-up-the-ass, prick!

Dammit, his hair looks sexy today. Damn you Hinata for being good at your job!

All I can do is stand there and fume while Hinata stands there stuttering over her sentences, flashing her lavender eyes back and forth between me and Teme.

"U-Uh... I... I t-think," Oh good Lord she's about to faint. Stepping in right in time before her forehead said hello to the floor, I straightened her up and patted her shoulder with a brilliant smile I had used on millions of fans.

"That was a close one. Nearly lost our best artists because Uchiha has no sense of manners!" Damn, I'm so good at this, sliding in a insult with the undertones of a joke. Someone give me all of the awards!

But Sasuke's such a hard wall to crack. He barely even flinched. Hell, he didn't even look at me. Instead he was glued to his cell phone probably updating his Twitter or flirting it up with his latest girl toy. I swear that man was more of an attention whore than I was—and that's saying something.

Hinata finally seemed to regain some of her sanity seeing as her face didn't look like a white wall. She smiled at me shakily and nodded, "Thank you, Uzumaki-san. I-I should be more c-careful next time."

"Oh don't worry about it! If you ever feel like you're about to pass out, I'll come in and save you."

Sasuke snorted from his chair. "Don't make promises you can't keep, Baka." That's it! I'm shoving my foot straight up that toned ass of his if it's the last thing I do!

"Turn around and say that to my face, you freaking son of a—Uumf! Uuuum! Nnnn!" A hand attached itself to my face, all sweaty and big and... wrinkly. Oh God, it was Jiraiya's hand! Ew! Ew! Eeeeeew! _'Let me go!' _My mind screamed as I kicked and trashed against his hold on me. The man may be as old as Mt. Fuji but he had one hell of a grip!

Also, he's the biggest pervert I know...

And our manager...

Yeah, don't ask me how those two mix together. Either way he does a pretty good job at marketing Teme and I to the millions of fans we've managed to pick up over the years. You know, when he's not in the process of seducing his latest lay.

"Oi!" Jiraiya had his customary cigarette hanging out of the corner of his lips with his long white hair actually tied up in a ponytail for once. He looked rather pissed, too. "I can hear your damn mouth all the way down the hall! If you can't remember, you have an image to protect, runt!"

Ugh, his breath smells so nasty! "I'm sorry, Gramps! Seriously!" I struggled and struggled but like I said before, Gramps had one hell of a grip and he didn't seem like he was going to let up anytime soon.

"Sorry doesn't solve shit, kid! Now go sit down and get your face dolled up and your hair poofed up so we can get this show on the road." he pushed me into a nearby chair and planted his hands on his wide hips. "They really don't pay me enough to watch over your brats," and just then he shoved a second cancer stick into that mouth of his.

"Gramps, do you have a death wish?" I cried from my spinning chair. Hinata was attempting to hold me down since she just finished with Teme's hair and make-up but I wasn't making it easy on her. I'll buy her ice cream later.

Jiraiya took out his first cigarette and glared at me, "I do when I'm dealing with you, brat! Why can't you be more like Sasuke?" he pointed over to the raven who was staring at himself in the mirror all cockily and shit, "He's serious, dedicated, and doesn't try to find ways to spike up my blood pressure on a daily basis!"

"So we agree he's a stick in the mud?"

"Shut up and get ready. If you're not done in five I'm firing your puny ass!" he slammed the door on the way out like the over dramatic bastard he was. Jeesh, the man couldn't take a joke! Of course, he couldn't fire me. Not when I was one half to his most popular band under his company's record label. I'll get to that part later.

Anywho, while I was sitting in my chair, lazily scrolling through my Dashboard while I was getting my hair done, my eyes sort of, kind of, happened to land on Sasuke. Not like I wanted them to, of course! I could see him in the reflection of the giant mirror as all! His back was pressed against the wall near the door and he was chatting away to someone on the phone. I wonder who he can even call. Oh right, I forgot, Sasuke was a player despite his cold indifference to pretty much anything with a soul. I thought _I _was the one who had issues keeping it in my pants, but then there was Sasuke...

Oh God, that man was a beast. And I have all the women in Tokyo who could vouch for it.

Our eyes met after that. And my back instantly straightened. Oh shit, awkward eye contact. What was I going to do? What in the fuck was I going to do?

"N-Naruto-kun! P-Please don't flail around so much!" Hinata said as sternly as she could while I spazzed out like a fish in her chair. "You're going to get burned by the straightener again!"

"Gah, sorry Hinata! I'll try to keep still this time!" Have you ever been burned by a straightener before? It hurts like a _bitch_.

When I looked back into the mirror Sasuke was smirking all arrogant like and mouthed the word "Idiot" to me before he walked off.

I might have geeked out again.

And then I got burned by the straightener...

"Damn you to Hell, Uchiha!"

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><p>Tell me what you think? (: Reviews are always welcomed! You know... for pandas. Derp.<p> 


	2. The Show

Short and early update. Because I love you guys c:

**Warning: LMFAO. WHAT. THIS? A WARNING? HEAD FOR THE HILLS BECAUSE... this is nothing o3o**

**Disclaimer: Blah. **

Enjoy c:

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><p><strong>MAXED-OUT<strong>

**Chapter Two: The Show**

"We're here today with Japan's hottest new J-Pop group, MAXED-OUT!"

The roaring cheers were deafening, drowning out the sounds of my furiously pumping heart. Stage lights were hitting us at all the right angles when Uchiha and I flashed our Grammy winning smiles towards the live audience and all our other fans who couldn't be on the show today. I think the best thing about being a pop star, you know, besides getting to sing and tour the country (let alone the _globe_) is being able to connect with fans. Whether it's doing shows, promotions, walking the streets—whatever, I just love getting to know a little bit about the fans who like us and want to see us succeed.

Granted a lot of them are stalkers, creepers, and over obsessive but... it's the thought that counts.

"It's great to be here, Noriko-san," and there goes Sasuke, showing off his womanizer smile like it's his job.

Wait...

Noriko giggled behind her light blue index cards and fanned herself dramatically, "Oh my, the rumors _are _true! You're every bit as handsome in person as you are in the magazines, Raven-kun."

Bam. Another killer smile. "Why thank you."

"Oi, what about me?" I threw Noriko a wink and a kiss, my own killer move. Today I had on a really loose, sleeveless black top with some gray skinny jeans and boots. My hair was straight and fell in layers brushing the nape of my neck with bangs covering my right eye. Uchiha was dressed a little less flashy than I was (the boy wouldn't know fashion if Jiraiya stapled the word to his forehead) and stuck with a simple leather pants, white v-neck, and Nike's.

Psh. Amateur.

Noriko giggled and waved her hand at me absentmindedly, "How could I ever forget about you, Kit? The cutest little blondie to ever hit the Tokyo sound waves!"

"And don't you forget it!" I looked over to a nearby camera and flashed them a peace sign.

Eat your hearts out everyone.

Now you all maybe a little confused about our stage names. I'll explain those right now. You see, to the whole wide world Uchiha and I are known as Raven and Kit. It was all Jiraiya's idea, actually. Because of my whiskers and my uncle's constant annoyance with the name, Jiraiya picked the name for me. Uchiha came up with his own nickname. Said it helped boost his image of aloofness and overall sexiness. I disagreed to the highest of powers when he made that comment.

On the outside...

On the inside I was more or less going, "It fits him so perfectly gosh darn it! Why can't I have that beautiful ass to myself?"

Yeah... I had an issue.

"So Kit," Noriko snapped me out of my daze—thank God since I had no idea what she was talking about—and flashed me a smile. "Tell me. How did your last tour go? I heard you had a lot of... incidents happen on your American Tour."

The crowd was nothing but a sea of gasps and whispers.

Who the fuck told her about that tour? My body froze at the mention of our latest tour. In my opinion, it was our _worst _tour and I will never be traveling to California for another show ever again. Nope. Never. Can't even pay me double what I'm earning right now, I'll never budge. My memories of our tour was so vivid... shivers danced up my spine and I'm pretty sure Noriko was wondering what land mine she must have stepped on to make Japan's number one hyperactive knuckle head stone silent.

Well bitch I hope you're feeling guilty.

Oh wait, I see a glint in her emerald eyes. She doesn't feel guilty.

God I hope she dies from plastic overdose.

"U-Uh..." These lights were really doing a number on my eyes. Geez, why did they have to be so bright? "Well... you know... crazy Americans and... uh..."

Ugh. She's trying to fight back a smirk. Well I'm trying to fight back my fist wanting to punch your _face_.

Something totally unexpected—but never unwelcome—happened. Sasuke placed his hand on my knee and... smiled.

My God he has a beautiful smile.

"A lot of things happened in America that Kit's not really comfortable talking about. If you don't mind, maybe we could ignore those questions and find something else to discuss?"

He used that smile of his that always seemed to make things bend his way. And they did. All the damn time.

Noriko had lost that scheming spark in her eyes and replaced it with disgusting fondness. Blech. I will never star on _her _show again, I'll make sure of it.

"Of course! I'm sorry, Kit-san. It was so rude of me to ask something so personal. I'll move right along."

All I could do is nod and smile because even though the amount of sincerity in her words could equal to the how much snow the Sahara Desert gets per year, she was at least _trying._

For Sasuke's sake.

And her viewers.

Bitch.

"Thanks! You're way too kind, Norika-san." I beamed. Sasuke seemed pleased with my bounce back, as did the rest of the crowd that snapped out of their hushed tones and erupted in "Awws" at how forgiving I could be.

Yep. That's me. So forgiving and kind to the people who purposefully want to make me look like an idiot.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw a small grimace come out on Sasuke's face. All right. I have no idea where _that _came from so I tried to smile in a form of a thank you.

He shot it down with a glare.

Bastard.

But dammit... his glare's sexy too.

+MAXED-OUT+

"Never again! You can't make me go on that bitch's talk show ever! No amount of ramen will make me go there and turn into a complete ass!"

"You're perfectly capable of doing that yourself, Dobe."

I whirled around and jabbed my finger right in Sasuke's nose. He glanced down then looked back at me with an uninterested expression. "Unlike you Mr. "I keep to the shadows" people _like _tearing into me! If you haven't noticed, she wasn't trying to pick fights with you."

Sasuke slapped my finger out of the way and walked to his dressing room, completely blocking out my raving. Hey! You can't just walk away when I'm being a queen! It's not allowed.

Uuuugggh, I need a bowl of ramen.

"Freaking son of a bitch... doesn't understand what it's like. Can act all nice and shit in front of the camera but behind closed doors he acts like I'm the pain in the ass!" I flung open the refrigerator door in my dressing room and pulled out a cup of ramen. I made it rather quickly and flopped onto my black couch with the intent of doing nothing but drowning in my slurps.

Of course, I can never have a moment of peace.

"Naruto!" Jiraiya exploded into my room—free of a cancer stick for once—and stared me down. And look, right behind him was my uncle Kyuubi. Oh joy. Family reunion while I'm in a pissy mood! Let's all sit around and take turns jabbing out our eyeballs! Woo!

"Eating," I replied and jammed another pile of noodles into my mouth. Jiraiya started to rave about how much he threatened the show not to ask about the tour but they went behind his backs like "little runts with their heads so far up their asses all the they could do was talking nothing to shit".

Two more things you should know about my producer: One; he swears a _lot_. And two; everyone to him is a runt except for two people.

Their names are Kyuubi—my psychotic uncle.

And Pein—my charismatically challenged best friend.

"You should have told her off, Kit." Kyuubi sits down beside me and tries to pawn off some ramen from me. I kick him in the shin as a warning. Kyuubi's in charge of our producing and makes it his job to follow Teme and I whenever he can so he can "Help make tracks that better reflect _us_."

Bullcrap he just wants out of his studio, the lazy ass.

"And how would that help? 'Oh yeah Noriko, if it wasn't for the fact that your plastic boobs rely so heavily on you fucking with people, you wouldn't be asking about my tour, huh?' Yeah. Okay. Because that will help my image." I need another bowl of ramen. No. Make that _two _and a couple of Aspirin.

Jiraiya shoots me a scowl like _I'm _the one in the wrong and shakes his head. "I really tried, kid."

Yeah. I know. But they still did it anyways. Not like it hurts or anything. Of course not. Why should my terrible, life-altering past be _any _issue of mine?

Instead, I keep it all bottled up. I really don't want them to get all worried about my well-being. I can take care of myself rather well and I don't need them going all ape on her just because she was being sly.

"I know you did. And thanks for that," I smile sincerely and walk over to the trashcan to dump my bowl out. "Do I have anything else for the day?"

"You have a variety show scheduled later today..." Jiraiya pulled out his iPhone and scrolled down his calender, ready to mouth off all the things I had to do with Teme. All of them were later on, like two hours from now. Two hours was plenty of time for me to run out and just... do something.

I dunno. Get away. Yeah, that seems nice.

"I'll be back in an hour!" I called out, rushing out the door before Jiraiya or Kyuubi could stop me. They wouldn't. I knew they wouldn't. They both know I need some time and if an hour's what it takes for me to become my normally bubbly self for the world then that's fine with them.

I took a corner, ready to hop into the elevator when I saw Uchiha standing there by a vending machine looking _directly _at me.

Normally he doesn't even bother to acknowledge my existence unless it was important. But no. Nooo... he was staring at me dead on and it made me freeze in my tracks.

"W-What...?" Oh fuck, my voice cracked... didn't it?

Sasuke just... stared. He doesn't say a word. His eyes skim me over from top to bottom like he's expecting something to pop out that will help make sense of... whatever he's trying to figure out. I'll admit I'm starting to get a little creeped out, especially when my heart rate is going spastic like a monkey over a banana.

Oh dear Lord my heart's gonna burst.

Sasuke shakes his head after what seemed like forever and pushed off the vending machine. By the time he walked by, he brushed by me with his shoulder.

"People tear into me, too. I just don't let it bother me."

And then he was gone leaving me to stand there in his wake.

It really wasn't a big deal... just two sentences that could have meant absolutely nothing. Then I remembered what I yelled to him not even thirty minutes ago.

"_Unlike you Mr. "I keep to the shadows" people like tearing into me!"_

I felt like Sasuke had just punched me in the gut not that those words started to make sense. _'You're being ridiculous...' _but it was different... What happened in America...

No. I can't keep thinking about that! You're moving on; Uzumaki and you'll do it with the help of fizzy beverages and good friends! Shaking my head of all those depressing thoughts trying to tear me down, I walked into the elevator and pressed the 1st floor button.

Club Cosmos, here I come.

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><p>What in the world could have happened in America to our beautiful little Kit? WHO KNOWS. WHO THE HECK KNOWS. THE PANDAS MIGHT. OR NARUTO...<p>

*NARUTO DARTS OFF INTO THE DISTANCE*

EVERYONE AFTER THE BLOND!


	3. Club Cosmos

The pandas have sucessfully taken Naruto down! He refuses to talk though. That's okay. My pandas are trained in the art of persuasion, killing, and making origami swans.

Yeah. Be jealous.

**Warning: Derp. Short. They'll get longer next chapter, hopefully. Also Naruto, Sasuke, and friends are relatively 18 since I'll be having them attend school as well. But you know how teens are, always going out to party... Not me. I stay at home and Tumble/Write&Read fanfic/Surf the internet all day. Such is my life. **

**Disclaimer: Ummmmmmmm... I... This... this is so hard to say. I don't even... -RUNS AWAAAAAAAAAAAY-**

Why aren't I funny yet? T^T

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><p><strong>Chapter Three: Club Cosmos<strong>

If you're ever in the downtown area and you're looking for a place to let loose, party, but also maintain some class—then Club Cosmos is your place. And I'm not just saying that because my best friend is the owner and only wants me to talk nice things about this place. Club Cosmos was really out of this world, totally living up to this name. The outside was small, probably the size of a three-floor apartment but when you went inside... the floors were stainless black with glittering stars scattered all around to look like outer space. A big, moon-like chandelier was the center piece of the club that hung over the dance floor. Everything was dark from the purples, to the blues, to the outfits people wore, yet the music was what got people's blood pumping and their feet moving.

Club Cosmos was my perfect escape.

I glided through the crowd effortlessly, making my way to the bar where no one other then Pein, the owner, was working. Pein was a pretty odd looking guy—for normal people anyways—standing about 6'3" with orange spiky hair and a shitload of face piercings. And don't even get me started on his eyes. I swear they're contacts but he swears right back he was born that way.

I was seriously jealous.

"Pein! Good to see yah!" sliding onto the stool, I spun around a few times before stopping and slamming my hands on the table. "Load me up with my Hawaiian Paradise!"

"No alcohol?" Pein raised an eyebrow while he cleaned out the glass for my drink.

I pinched my forefinger and thumbs together, "Like thiiiiiss much."

Pein snorted. "Not a chance, Naruto." he walked off to complete my order while I sat there pretending to be bummed. I honestly hated alcohol. It was a waste of a drink and my experiences with the beverage weren't the_ greatest_. So yeah... I only ask for a shot to be funny. Pein doesn't think I'm funny though.

But deep down I know he knows I'm hilarious.

He came back not even two minutes later with my drink and casually stared me down while I finished it all in two gulps. Pein was a silent study type. He was really good at figuring people out just from watching them for a few minutes. Since I'm such an open book Pein had no trouble figuring out what brought upon my random visit. He just had the courtesy not to pry until I was ready to open up about it.

And that's why Pein's one of my best friends.

"You can ask you know." the glass hit the flawless black counter top with a soft clink. Pein just looked at me with an expectant gaze before he shrugged his shoulders and tossed his towel over his shoulder.

"I saw the show today."

"Wasn't I great?" I smirked wanly.

"Before or after Noriko asked about the tour?"

I flinched. "Uh... Before?"

Pein smirked and for a brief second I regretted saying that. Have you ever seen that man smirk? It's terrifying! "You were staring at Uchiha just a little too much..."

"Bull! My eyes weren't glued to him at all! They would have combusted into flames if it were true."

"Right. That's why you're blushing."

I am not blushing... Am I? Oh great... I am. Damn.

I decided to play it cool and scoff him off. Pein didn't _have _to know he was somewhat correct with his accusation. I mean, so what if I stared a little? He's my partner—music business wise, my little imagination, not the _other _way—and it helped build up the fanbase that liked to pair us up together. What did they call it again... uh... something with shipping... SukeRuto? Oh whatever.

"I didn't come here to get called out for stuff I didn't do." even though I'm very aware that I am guilty as the kid who took the cookie from the cookie jar.

Pein must have decided to be nice today because he let the subject drop after that. Normally he would do everything in his power to make me confess. He has this really deep sadistic side that seems to always come out when I'm around.

"Fine. We'll keep living in denial then." oh, I see. Last words turn into hidden jabs. You sneaky little son of a bitch who gives me good drinks.

"It's a beautiful world to be in," I replied just as sarcastically. "But enough about me. How's your day been going? The place looks pretty packed."

It was only 7:05 and Cosmos was already starting to fill up to half of it's maximum capacity which was a lot.

"Of course. This is Cosmos we're talking about." if it was anyone but Pein saying that they would have sounded cocky. Pein was just confident. I liked seeing him confident. The man could be really insecure about a lot of things but when it came to his club Pein was as sure as sure could be.

"I bet Kiba's here already..." I muttered, my eyes already scanning the crowd for our canine friend. I found him gyrating against someone I couldn't see because of the lighting. They looked attractive... from the side anyways. "Kiiiiiba!"

Kiba stopped his dancing and looked around frantically. Yeah, I had some pretty big vocal chords. Perks of being a singer. His eyes landed on me at the bar and I waved him over.

"Naruto! Long time no see, man!" he pulled me into a hug before taking the stool next to mine. Kiba was an actor and was doing pretty well for himself. He would be going off to his next Grammy-winning hit movie—as he tells me—in the Spring so he's making every second count while he can before he's whisked off to New Zealand for shooting.

"I know! I saw your latest movie. Nearly had me in tears there!"

"Thanks! You know, I was trying really hard to connect with the character on an emotional basis and—"

"Oh, I was talking about your facial expression. Your face looked like you were constipated the whole time and I just lost it!" I grinned so he knew I was only playing and he scowled back, punching me in the arm.

"You're such a bastard sometimes!" he whined and turned to Pein. "Tell him to stop being a bastard!"

"Naruto. Stop being a bastard." Pein scolded lightly. Wow guys, way to gang up on me. That's mature.

I pouted and crossed my arms. "It's not my fault Kiba can't take a joke. You're acting was flawless, seriously." I gave Kiba a sincere smile this time that he shot back.

"As to be expected from the absolutely flawless Kiba Inuzuka!"

"Right, right. Now where's that little insomniac of ours... He's normally here early, right?" I was looking for Gaara now. He was the final package to our little group of random people placed together due to status and jobs. Gaara was a screenwriter and was quickly gaining his fame from his latest thriller _NIGHT_. The title may look plain but the movie was anything but.

I had nightmares for weeks after watching that movie... but then I watched it again because it was so good. Gotta show the support anyway you can.

"Gaara's skipping out tonight." Kiba replied dejectedly. "Says he's been hit with new inspiration and needs a few nights off from the scene to finish the job."

"Sounds like Gaara. Always a workaholic." Pein put in, sliding Kiba his regular glass. Something blue and fizzy that I could never remember the name of.

Soon easy banter started to flow around us like we were back in the old times before the limelight wanted to follow us wherever we went. All of us went _way _back, Gaara and I being the closest. We grew up in the same neighborhood with pretty similar backgrounds I'm not ready to dig up. Kiba came to us a little later when he moved to our high school freshman year. Junior year is when we all started to find our strings tied to the world of entertainment and glamour, and that's where we stumbled upon Pein who was aiming to open up his own club right in the city.

We all had dreams that seemed so big and unobtainable that it feels so surreal that we're here _now_.

"So that bitch... Noriko, right? Where does she get off asking you about America? You should have clocked her right in that plastic nose of hers! I was so pissed!" Kiba was half-slurring by now. His blue fizzy drink was finally taking into effect.

I shrugged. I really didn't want to think about what happened earlier today but knowing Kiba and what happened when a little bit of alcohol hit his system, he wasn't about to let this go.

"It's her job. She's supposed to ask scarring personal questions for the ratings."

"But there should be a limit! Jeez, I was about to march right into that studio if Uchiha didn't step in like he did."

Uchiha... is it weird that my knee still tingled from where his hand touched it hours ago? My stomach was twisting into pretzel knots and my heart was going on a sugar rush _just _from his name.

Ugh. What is _wrong _with me?

"Yeah..." I mumbled, choosing to look at the counter than at their faces, "Uchiha has his moments. But he's still a bastard."

"Agreed!" Kiba slurred. "One more drink, Peiny!"

"No way." Pein growled and snatched Kiba's glass away before he could pour some for himself. You gotta love Pein. He knew when to stop someone before they broke their limits. You could tell when Kiba was about to approach his because he would start calling Pein "Peiny" and me "Ruru".

Yeah... Kiba's a funny drunk.

"Oh shit... I'm gonna be late for my next gig!" I stared at the clock that was screaming 7:45, which meant if I wasn't at the studio where the variety show would be in the next ten minutes... I'm screwed. "I gotta go! Pein, thanks for the drink. Kiba... don't do something I wouldn't do sober!"

"No promises!" Kiba cheered. My God I hope Pein has the leash ready...

Pein waved me off with a small smile. "Have fun. And relax a little. No one's going to find out."

I chewed on my bottom lip for a second before flashing Pein my smile—a complete mask hiding all my anxieties. "Well duh! All that stuff is buried so far down they're going to need a nuclear bomb to uncover it all."

No one was ever going to find out what happened in America. Absolutely no one. No TV shows, news crews, or even a irritatingly handsome raven would learn about what happened. After all, I had an image to protect.

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><p>I need to stop updating so fast ;o. LMFAO. I'm just so excited because this story is so different and I have so many ideas of where I want to take this and KLJSDFLKAJSDFSLKDAFLAJFALKF. Gah. So many ideas. Oh yeah, also Pein is the oldest. Around... 23? YEAH. 23. THE MAN IS 23 AND SINGLE.<p>

Line of ladies and gentleman the bidding starts... NEVER. Because I don't promote such things...

But if there's any offers... (;


	4. K Academy

Why am I updating this so early? WHY? WHY?

Naruto: Shut up, Fallen and move on with the A/N.

Me: Fine... fine... PUSHY DX! Hey guys... I'm thinking of changing my Penname... but idk. o.o Maybe to something like Minuscule Thoughts or Vibrant Insanity... dunno ;o. Thoughts?

Sasuke: No one CARES, Fallen.

Me: I care...

(Can't believe I made dialogue with myself... WINNING)

**Warning: One day I'll start switching up POVS... you just won't know when c; Also this is LONGERRR and you get to see school life for a J-pop star. So.. uh... bring a condom? JKAY. KIDDING. THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN. KLSFJLSAFKAKLJFALKFJ.**

**Disclaimer: Derp.**

Happy Poultry Day c:

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Four: K Academy<strong>

_RIIIIING._

_BRIIIIIIIIIIING._

_RING. DING. DONG. RING. DING. DONG._

Oh my God shut _up _already! My stupid alarm clock can never take a damn hint that if I haven't gotten up on the first ring, why in the fuck should I get up on the second, or third, or fourth damn ring? I roll over in bed and jam my pillow on my head. I'm not about to get up. Not on a Monday. Not when it's only 6:00 in the morning. And surely not for _school_.

But my alarm clock has other plans. It connected with my back and made me jump five feet in the air.

"Fuck!" I landed on the bed with a "Uumph," and rolled over with a groan. Since when does my alarm clock fly...?

Right. When Temes make it fly.

"Welcome to the land of the living, Dobe." Don't look so cocky when you're leaning against my doorframe. That is _my _doorframe and I don't like bastard's touching it!

Dammit he looks so sexy with bedhead. Shut up, brain! You're sleep-induced. You're not making any sense. Oh good Lord that blazer looks fantastic on him.

I shoot him my best glare even though it makes his outlines all blurry and stuff. My eyesight's not the best in the morning. Decked out in our school's uniform, I don't know how he has the energy to get up before me, wake me up, and somehow find strength to put on his clothes. I can barely make it to the shower without passing out.

"Was throwing my clock necessary?"

"Yes," he smirked. I wanted to punch that smirk off his face. Then kiss it. I mean... kiss it... with my fist... that will punch him... in the face.

Eff me.

"No. It wasn't. I was gonna get up soon..."

"Sure you were."

"I waaaaas."

"Right," Sasuke snorted and out of the little corner of my eye I could see him getting ready to walk out. "If you're not up in the next three minutes consider yourself screwed."

I would very much love to be screwed by—oh wait, he didn't mean that provocatively.

"Ha!" I pulled up my covers all the way to my head, "You ain't gonna do shit."

It was all quiet for a little bit until...

"Remember the bucket?"

Oh good Lord...

"I'm up! I'm up! Oh what a beautiful Monday morning it is!" I sprang up like a jack-in-the-box and rushed around the room picking up my uniform and trying to find a pair of socks that didn't smell like a gas bomb blew them up. "Jeez, Uchiha! What are you doing bumming around? We gotta go to school!"

He was glaring at me so hard I thought I was going to explode into flames. Figuratively my body erupted into flames. My skin got all hot, I'm pretty sure I was blushing (dammit) aaaandd yep I'm getting aroused.

I'll blame that one on morning wood.

"Four minutes. Don't be late." he hissed and trudged downstairs. Now, let me take this moment of alone time to fill whoever is confused in. I may be a top class idol to the eyes of the Japanese public, but really I'm just an ordinary senior living it up in the company dorms. No mansions, no fancy cars, no beautiful women passed out on my floors; it's just me and the Teme living on one huge floor called the "Penthouse" where the top performing groups live.

We also have to go to school like every other senior living in the Tokyo area. It's a part of our company's policy that we get a full education or else no sponsorship. I'm not complaining. School's... tolerable. The food's good, I guess. And a lot of my friends go to the school I attend.

Slipping on my sweater with our school's fancy blue letters ingrained above my right pectoral, I tugged on my jeans, grabbed my boots, quickly put a barrette in my hair while brushing my teeth at the same time—I know, I'm freaking _skilled—_all within the three minute range. By 6:10 I was downstairs sitting at the table eating at a delicious stack of waffles made by no one other but our mom, Iruka.

"Mom! You make the best waffles in existence! I bow to you!" Iruka was our caretaker at the Penthouse. At age twenty-eight he had the skills of a master chef yet he chose to work here under Charisma—our company—and help out with our growth. I definitely don't have a problem with that since Iruka's been there for us ever since he's started and boy oh boy does he make the most banging dishes you will _ever _taste.

Iruka rolled his eyes at me but I could see him smiling. His hair was pulled into a low ponytail today with his customary blue apron all put on and spiffy. "Don't chew with your mouth open, it's rude."

This just made me chew even _more _obnoxiously, thus earning major eye rolls from the Teme I share a room with and the mom I love the most.

"I told you we should make him eat outside," I heard Sasuke mutter under his breath.

I threw a strip of bacon at him.

"Dobe!" he screeched, ripping off the piece of meat like it burned his skin. Good. I hope it did. Then I can lick off the grease and—

Oops. Dirty thoughts at the table. I promised I'd stop doing that.

Iruka turned on his heels and pressed his greasy spatula right up to my nose. "Naruto, I love you, but if you don't grow a pair I'm banning you from the kitchen for a week."

"But Teme had it coming to him!" That bacon literally wanted to make out with his face!

Iruka narrowed his eyes at me and that's when I knew it was time to shut the hell up, shovel all the food into my mouth, and make a run for it before laser beams shot of his eyes and vaporized me on the spot.

I saw Sasuke smirking at me from the corner of my eye, all proud and cocky like.

Ugh. I really hate when he subtly rubs in my childishness.

Then again…

Nope. Not straying down that path.

Five minutes later and breakfast was successfully completed without any more hitches (hooray!). Sasuke and I were booking it down the hallway for the elevator that would take us to the main lobby where our driver would be taken us. I'm more of a train guy myself but our school is waaaay out there. Like, on the outskirts of the city two hours away. I guess you could call it prestigious. It's sparkly enough. And has the majority of Earth's assholes gathered together in one place.

So yeah, it's pretty much up there in "Schools I wish I could send my children to but I'll never have enough money to get them there".

Gotta love Charisma.

Going back to my train of thought dealing with assholes…

"I don't get you."

Huh? That's weird. Normally Sasuke never struck up conversation with me. Hell, he barely looked at me unless we were working in the studio or on a show. This… this was new.

"What don't you get?"

Our eyes kinda met in that awkward glance where you know someone is trying to stare you down long enough to find something. What he wanted to find… I really don't have a clue but our glance didn't last long and he took his eyes to stare at the passing scenery.

"Nothing. Never mind."

I blinked… Uh… Okaaay? What the literal hell, Uchiha? "Seriously. What is it?"

"Nothing."

"Obviously it's not nothing. I'm not stupid."

He snorted. I punched him in the shoulder. He glared at me. I shrugged. It was a reflex!

"It's really nothing important. Don't stress what little brain cells you have trying to figure out something out of nothing."

"Oi!" I shot up like a rocket, jostling the car around a few times and causing our driver to shout at me—I didn't listen—and shoved my finger right between Sasuke's eyes. "You can't just start something and let it drop. Of course I'm going to ask for more information!"

Sasuke not so gently grabbed my finger and dropped it to my side. He gazed at me like I was nothing more than a hindrance to his existence (Yeah, because I wanted him to start a conversation only to drop it) and smirked, "Watch out."

"Wha—Ouch! Fuck! What the hell!" apparently we ran over a freaking big speed bump because I was thrown back into my seat and _not _in the nicest of ways. I could hear Sasuke chuckling madly but the pain ringing through my body was thankfully drowning him out.

Okay, new rule: No standing up while the Hummer is in motion.

+MAXED-OUT+

First period I had World History, which was actually, my worst class—yeah, shocker huh? I'm pretty decent with English. Math and I were on again off again enemies. I didn't bother with Chemistry but I had to for my career (Charisma expected us to take all core classes for our year). And Music… well… that's pretty obvious. Music was where I shined. K Academy was founded on the hopes that talented children, teens, and young adults could all come together and prove Society wrong that we were just a bunch of brainless idiots with good looks.

We all had fully functioning brains, most of the time, and acted like normal kids… some days.

Sadly today was Monday—stupid day of the week, it should be removed—and nothing great happens on a Monday. Now just wait till Friday…

"Naruto! Psh, Naruto! Kakashi's giving you the stink eye!" Kiba whispered. He even flicked a paper football at my head.

"Whaaaat?" I drawled, probably sounding as much of an idiot as I looked like right now. Snickers erupted all around me and I had to force down the blush that wanted to take over my face. Nope. Not about to give any of this stuck-up brats the satisfaction of me being publically embarrassed.

Kakashi sighed and brushed back his hair, showing off the blue headband he always wore to cover his left eye. He never told us the _direct _reason for his missing eye. Sometimes it was because of a narwhal, other times it was a rabid bear attack, some days it was a drunken circus clown… Yeah. We pretty much gave up trying a few months into the new school year after his reasons became more and more ridiculous.

"Students, take a very close look at Naruto Uzumaki; number one slacker. He feels like it's a privilege for him to sleep during my lecture. Now tell me, is Naruto special enough to take a nap in my class?"

The whole class minus Kiba—he's a keeper—replied "Nooooo!"

Traitors, all of them. When I become an assassin for a spy agency they're the first to go.

"But Kakashi-sensei, I was totally paying attention!" now anyone who could tie their shoes knew I was bluffing but hey… whatever saved me from punishment was okay by me!

"Oh really?"

"Yes!"

"Then what page are we reading from?"

Oh shit… uh… Uh… Will everyone quit looking at me like I'm about to fuck up?

I leaned forward in my desk and tried to look like I knew exactly what I was talking about. "We were reading from chapter five, paragraph twelve…" I let my voice hitch up a bit, you know like how you would act if you were trying to fish for answers.

Kakashi raised an eyebrow.

"Chapter nine… paragraph four?"

A snort.

"Uhh… page 112?"

"Let's try page one, paragraph one. It would be appropriate since I've just finished handing out these books today."

Oh. That got the class laughing. Don't even know why since it wasn't even _that _funny.

Right. It's because he was picking on me, the slacker. Gotta love how the social food chain works.

"I was gonna get to that…" I mumbled lowly and slunk down in my seat. That was enough idiocy to last me… oh, probably a week at most.

Kiba leaned over and flicked me in the ear, "Dude, I gotta say. You may be my best friend but even I find it hilarious when you get in trouble with Kakashi."

"Thanks, man. Glad to know you've always got my back."

Kiba winked, "What are friends for?"

I punched him on the shoulder when Kakashi wasn't looking.

Yeah. That's what friends were for.

+MAXED OUT+

Now time for a little rundown on the social kingdom that is K Academy. You'd think a bunch of kids all pining for the same dream would be on good terms with one another right? No nasty rumors, no backstabbers, just a perfect school experience with people you can actually relate to.

Let me just tell you this right now: If you ever thought like that for a fraction of a second, you're an idiot. And dead wrong. But mostly an idiot.

You see everyone in K Academy wants to make it _big_. Really big. Even if you're at the top you'll still be wanting more and more—which is ridiculous because I don't even know what's left once you've had it all. No one's really your friend; it's more for personal appearance than anything else. Almost everyone is out to get you when you least expect it. One day you're extremely popular but if you did terrible in your last movie or your album didn't do as well as you were boasting it would, say hello to the trashcan.

Not _everyone _is like that, obviously. The few friends I've managed to gather around me actually have some common sense and a human soul. Kiba, Gaara, Lee, Sakura, and Ino were all really close friends of mine despite our professions. They were probably the small minority of human beings left.

And then you have Sasuke Uchiha. I'll get to him later.

As usual, our little group of six was camped out at our picnic table, passing around food and sneaking some by when the other wasn't looking. It was nice out since spring was starting to poke out early. With the coming of spring, Jiraiya wanted Sasuke and I to find a new feeling for our songs. Whatever he could have meant by that I wasn't too sure about, but Sasuke nodded along like he actually understood.

I called it out as complete bullshit.

Moving on, then.

"So that test today in World History… yeah…" I picked up a French fry and popped it in my mouth, "I bombed it."

"Agreed!" Kiba and Lee shouted after me.

Gaara snorted. He was pretty quiet and kept a lot to himself but him and me were one of the same—kindred brothers so to speak. I knew him better than anyone and he knew me more than I knew myself. "Maybe if you studied you wouldn't do so bad."

"I was busy!" I defended. "Do you know how hard it is to get a break when you've got Jiraiya and Kyuubi breathing down your neck every two seconds?" another fry took the journey to my lovely stomach. "Yeah. I didn't think so."

"You have excuses for everything don't you, Naruto?" Sakura grinned cheekily and stole one of my fries. That bitch! Nah, kidding.

To retaliate for my loss of a fry, I took a sip of her 7-Up. "No. I just have explanations for everything. There's a difference."

"Sure there is, Naruto." Ino gave me a sidelong glance and waggled her eyebrows, "What about that one time where you—"

"No! Don't even go there!" I shouted. I could read Ino like a book sometimes, mostly because I have dirt on her and she has dirt on me—like all good friends have—but she didn't care when and where she used said dirt. I, on the other hand, had a conscience. Ino did not.

Gaara cocked an invisible eyebrow, "Something you'd like to share?"

I shot him an eyebrow back, "No not really…"

"Oh don't be a stick in the mud, Naruto! Why not tell them about the time you—"

I swear to everything that is beautiful if she finishes that sentence…

"Look! Ino, shut your huge mouth and look!" Sakura practically screeched. She cradled Ino's face in her hands and spun her around in the direction she was geeking out at. Over by the school mural was Sasuke and his… "friends". They were all sitting at this spotless, white circular table and were chattering like monkeys over something that probably wasn't even that funny. Sasuke was in the center of it all, as usual.

Because he pretty much had it all.

I'll list them for you just in case you want to know:

Sasuke had the looks.

The talent.

The smarts.

The reputation.

The freaking _money_ to get whatever he wanted. And he usually used three out of the five to get his way. It's up to you to figure out which three.

Ino and Sakura had reverted to their bubbling, giggling mass of girly affections once their eyes found Sasuke quietly snacking on a sandwich while Karen—his obsessive redheaded stalker of the month—blabbered away about something he probably didn't care about.

Yeah. Even if Sasuke and I hated each other's guts, I could figure him out easily too… well, sometimes.

"Oh my goodness, that boy is all the definitions of fine!" Ino gushed, leaning so far forward she nearly fell off.

"My future husband looks absolutely scrumptious today…" Sakura purred. Funny story real quick, people used to think I had a crush on her. And… I sort of did. Until I found out she liked Sasuke.

And that I… didn't like women as much as I thought I did.

Moving on.

Lee shot up from the table like a rocket and flung himself over to Sakura's side. He gripped her hands in his and looked at her with big, pleading orbs. "Sakura-chan! What does that boy have that I do not? I can surely satisfy your wishes more than Sasuke could!"

As a stunt double? Probably not, but I'm nice and didn't say that out loud. Sakura would tear into him in two seconds flat.

Sakura rolled her eyes and snatched her hands out of Lee's grip. "No way, Lee. We've had this talk and I only see you as a _friend._"

The little cloud Lee floated around on started to deflate… poor kid.

"Oh come on, Sakura. You could just give him a chance," I drawled. I felt bad for Lee. He was shooting for a person he could never have in his arms.

I knew that feeling all too well.

"Yeah!" Kiba said in-between mouthfuls of his cheeseburger. He was an actor but had the metabolism of a kid with ADHD. "Lee's a great guy! A lot better than that cold-shoulder prick, Uchiha!"

"You better watch your mouth, punk!" Sakura barked and picked up a fork, waving the utensil around menacingly. "Sasuke is a genuinely nice person! It's you guys that are the pricks!"

Gaara shot her a look that clearly spoke: "Why did you drag me into this?"

Since I was the one to start this, I figured I might as well put a stop to it before Kiba walked around the school with only one eye. I stood up and spread my arms wide between them.

"All right guys. Sakura's not about to budge anytime soon. Let's just leave her to gawk at the bastard and us men can go play a round of soccer or something." I threw a smirk over my shoulder, "You guys game?"

"A game of soccer? What a wonderful exhibition of our youth!" Lee leapt up, his energy all replenished and ready to be wasted. "Allow me to join you on the field!"

"Dude! Count me in," Kiba shoveled in the rest of his food and started to search in his bag for a soccer ball.

I only had to give Gaara a look to know he was coming along.

"Might as well," he muttered.

I smiled. "You know you'll love it."

He smiled back—something he rarely did. "Yeah."

When I turned back around to ask Sakura and Ino to keep track of the time and score for us, I saw a pair of eyes looking right at me…

Sasuke's eyes, to be exact.

I don't even know why I assumed he was looking at me. He was probably staring at Sakura and Ino because they were both attractive girls and Sasuke was… straight (I think. Depends on the day). He would never even _think _to make eye contact with me anywhere outside the studio unless it was absolutely necessary.

So why in the world was he staring at me now?

"You coming?" Gaara asked. Lee and Kiba were already jogging up to the soccer field, hollering around and making a racket.

I forced myself to tear my gaze from Sasuke. No more mixed signals for me.

"Yeah," I smiled and forgot all about Sasuke's awkward staring. I didn't need to think about that when I had a game-winning strategy to plan out. "Let's go! You're on my team, obviously."

Gaara scoffed, "Only because you'd lose if I wasn't there to pick up for you."

"Oh Gaara, I really love it when you show your funny side."

+MAXED-OUT+

My favorite thing about school—besides the food and friends—would definitely have to be Music class; hands down, no other competition. I do okay with academics. My fitness is a lot better than everyone else when it comes to speed, endurance, and strength. But I'll always be overshadowed by that annoying, gorgeous… Uh… I mean… stupid, raven. Not in Music class, though. I shine when the last period comes around and our teacher acts us to perform a solo randomly during the day.

Today was Monday.

Monday was my lucky day in Music class.

"Ah, Naruto Uzumaki," Kurenai-sensei flashed me a smile and ushered me to the front. "You know the drill. Sing your heart out."

"You got it!" I practically skipped down the steps to the front of the class. All eyes were on me, and for the first time it was actually a good thing. It was like being on stage again and having the crowd constantly cheer and shout my name whenever I finish a solo or come out on stage. Sure, I'm sharing it with Sasuke, but I know I help carry our team to where it is now. Sasuke's voice was powerful but I had a range and you better believe I could fill it with notes that could shatter a soul.

"You'll be singing _Fighting Young _today." Kurenai-sensei pressed a few things on her laptop and a karaoke screen popped up on her Smart board. She leaned back on her chair with a smirk, "I expect an excellent performance."

"And you'll definitely get one."

I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, and got lost. It wasn't a bad kind of lost where I had no idea what I was doing, it was the sort of loss where I wiped out everyone from my mind, all the distractions, all the fears, and just focused on the music, my voice, and me.

I didn't even pay attention to the pair of onyx orbs digging into me.

Just open your mouth, Uzumaki…

The words tumbled out of me with a brutal force. I hit that high not like nobody's business, wrapping the room around my finger and sucking them in with the lyrics powered behind my strong, confident voice.

_This world ain't big enough for the both of us_

_So get your weapons ready_

_This war ain't over yet_

_I won't let you tear me down_

_Girl, they say we're all too young_

_But I won't give up until I've won_

I finished off strong. My voice reverberated against the walls, floated around the rooms, and struck a deep chord heavily in everyone's hearts. When I opened my eyes again it was to stunned silence. I didn't even try to suppress my smile.

Kurenai-sensei stood up slowly, clapping all the way. "Excellent performance, Uzumaki. Simply excellent. You've proven yourself well and have earned yourself bonus points for the day. Now please sit down and class can start."

I pretty much skipped to my seat after that, soaking up all the attention. I was a spotlight whore; I'm not going to lie. On my way to the very top of the aisle my eyes sort of locked with Sasuke's. It was only a few seconds but I swore I saw something close to approval in his eyes…

Yeah right, Uzumaki. Only when pigs fly would Sasuke Uchiha ever approve of you.

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><p>Fighting Young? Yeah, random lyrics I came up with... not the best but they'll work for now T^T<p>

Thanks to everyone who has reviewed, faved, and added this to their alerts! The pandas are currently weeping in their bamboo pagodas with joy.


	5. Optimistic Men Wear Too Much Cologne

Thanks for all the love, guys c:! CAN'T CONTROL IT. Unf.

Why did I just unf?

Anyways.

**Warning: Short, but then this chapter will be the kick-off of how all our romance and humorous escapades get started c;**

**Disclaimer: I will soon come to own SHINee's comeback album Sherlock once I get my hands on an Itunes giftcard... if that counts for anything (;**

Enjoy you beautiful people c:!

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><p><strong>Chapter Five: Optimistic Men Wear Too Much Cologne<strong>

Lunch on Wednesday was the bomb because we had ramen. And since ramen was the greatest thing _ever _I had to eat like twenty bowls to appreciate its awesome nature.

"Thank you Jesus for giving some brilliant Asian man somewhere the idea for ramen!" I hoisted my cup up high like it was a mighty goblet from Lord of the Rings or something.

Everyone else raised his or her cups with me—Gaara sort of half-raised it because he's silly like that—and cheered, "Amen!"

We gouged down our bowls of ramen until we were blue in the face. Then our pig-eating ways turned into an eating contest to see who could eat the most bowls of ramen in five minutes.

"You're going down, Lee!" I glared at him mockingly, chopsticks raised to my mouth with a string of noodles clasped in-between.

Lee wiggled his massively big, black eyebrows at me and snorted. "I think not, Naruto-kun! I will be the victor of this competition fueled by youth and win the rights of bragging!"

"You mean bragging rights," Kiba corrected, rolling his eyes at Lee's way too formal language.

I liked Lee's way of talking. It was funny—and annoying—and made him real. To me anyways. Almost everyone else outside our little friendship circle at K Academy wanted to run him over with a truck.

"That too!" Lee nodded enthusiastically.

"Whatever! I'll still be whopping your ass no problems!" I looked over to Sakura who was the designated timer and winked, "Whenever you're ready babycakes."

"Don't call me that and you won't be losing your dick," Sakura winked back. A kinder rejection would have been appreciated. No need for the violence!

Sakura raised the stopwatch in the air and gave us the final countdown, "On your marks... get set... STUFF YOUR FACE!"

She didn't have to tell us twice.

I was soaring into my thirteenth bowl of ramen when the timer went off. "Yeeeeeees!" I shot up from my seat—beating Lee twelve to seven in record time—and ran around the picnic table to do my victory lap. "I am king of the eating contests! All bow down before my power!"

Gaara was the one to knock me off my high horse, because that's what best friends do. "Your gluttony isn't something to be proud of. Sit down, you're being an idiot."

"My need to stuff my belly is _always _something to be proud about!" I patted my stomach a few times before sitting down and throwing an arm around Gaara's shoulder, "Don't always be a spoil sport! It's so not cute."

I swear a light blush would have attacked Gaara's face... if Gaara were one to blush (publicly, that is). He scoffed and turned the opposite direction, "Moron. I don't need to be cute."

"Oh but Gaara!" Ino leaned across the table and went for Gaara's cheeks, pulling at them like you would with a child or a baby toy. "Whenever I look at you my mind screams 'Panda! It's a panda!' and if you haven't noticed pandas are adorable!"

Kiba was the one to pull Ino back before she lost her hand. Gaara only let a few people touch him and overactive, hyper blondes named Ino weren't on that small list. "Ino, you're on drugs. Get off them."

"It's true, though! How can you not see it?"

"I sort of see it," I chimed in, giving Gaara and sidelong glance. He shot me scowl that screamed: "If you don't shut up I will maim you".

Ha! I listen to no man!

"It's definitely the eyes!" Sakura piped in.

Everyone nodded in an agreement. Gaara always had heavy black rings around his eyes for reasons we're not going to get into. So for now we'll just say it's because he wears a lot of eyeliner.

Gaara shot us all death glares.

We all shot him smiles back.

We're such good friends.

Lunchtime ended way too soon, meaning Kiba and I had to go to Chemistry. Oh joy.

"I wish we could just ditch," I stretched my aching back and yawned towards the sky. It was really pretty today. A lot of clouds were floating around today, just the way I liked it.

"Same. But if we did my manager would hang my by my toenails and your manager..." Kiba trailed off with that one. We both shivered at all the cruel and grotesque things Jiraiya would come up with if I let my laziness overcome my school work.

We were just about to head inside when the last person I ever expected to make contact with me at school came up and stopped right in front of me.

"Uzumaki," Sasuke shot me a look. I can't even describe said look because it was blank. He didn't look pissed but then again he was never happy to be around me. The only reason why he would ever step out of his bubble to talk to me would be...

"Lemme guess... Jiraiya called?"

He nodded.

"And we get to leave early...?" I couldn't hide the joy of being able to skip Chemistry out of my voice. Yes! Yes! Fucking yes! No chemical equations for me! Suck on that one, Kiba!

Sasuke nodded again which gave me the unannounced signal to hoot and holler like a monkey.

Which I did.

Quite loudly, to be blunt.

"Lucky bastard," Kiba muttered under his breath. I shot him a wink.

"Damn straight I am!" I looked over to Sasuke who's left eyebrow was twitching. Awww, I pissed him off. Cool.

His eyebrow looked very sexy by the way.

Shit. Don't read that last part.

"Are we leaving now, or two seconds after right now?" I waggled my eyebrows, hoping Sasuke would catch onto my sense of humor.

Ha. Sure. When 2012 is proven real.

Sasuke rolled his eyes at me and grabbed my by the arm—Oh God, oh God, oh good Lord, contact—and pulled me inside. "We leave now. Jiraiya said the driver would be waiting outside and that _you,_" Me? What about me? "shouldn't keep him busy."

"I'm always on time!"

The look Sasuke gave me said: "Don't even try that."

All the way to the car I was pouting. Even when we started driving I did nothing but pout. I didn't even bother to steal peeks at Sasuke this time. He was probably on his android doing whatever the fuck he did with his cell phone.

Tch. I hope it exploded in his hand.

And then I could kiss it better.

You know what... Forget I said that too.

+MAXED-OUT+

Apparently, our latest job was at Miracle Studio—one of the best places to get a job at if you wanted to do something in the field of Television.

Now you all may be wondering... what could we be doing at Miracle Studio?

Well hell if I know, I just got here.

"Kit, Raven, I'm so glad to see you! So very glad! Oh you two are even cuter in person than you are on TV! So very cute. Just like a button!" Nigel Seguchi was, from what I heard, really out there because he was part French, part British, and part Japanese all rolled up into a 6'4", lean, lanky, red-headed owner of Miracle Studio.

He also knew nothing of the word "simplicity" and was rocking out a purple, glittery sweater vest with no shame.

I think I saw Sasuke twitch at the sight of him.

"It's a pleasure working with you, Nigel-san." Jiraiya normally wore nothing but baggy pants and a t-shirt when it was just me and Sasuke working on our latest album or something. When he needed to grace the world with a certain appearance, he was nothing but blazers and slacks.

Nigel extended his hand and Jiraiya gripped it right back. Then the fruitloop turned to us.

"Thank you for choosing us," Sasuke—always the smooth one—bowed.

"R-Right!" I quickly followed suit. Manners may be something I don't like to familiarize myself with, but when it came to work and getting more jobs... Hell, I acted like the Queen of England on my better days.

Nigel's face was as red as a tomato as he twirled around and around our dressing room like a ballerina. "Oh dear! Oh my! You boys are the cutest; the absolute cutest! I knew you two would be prefect! Magnificent! I can just feel this new drama is going to be number one in nighttime television! Number one!"

I shot Jiraiya a look. Since when in the world were we going to do a drama? And why was he smirking back at me? Dammit, don't you dare smirk you conniving, egotistical bastard!

"We're doing a drama?" Sasuke didn't seem as distressed as I was—probably because he used to act a little here and there before we became a unit—but was just as curious.

"That's right, boys." Jiraiya I swear to all that is beautiful if you don't wipe off that damn smirk... "Seguchi-san here wants you two to be the leading men of his new drama: _Notes & Keys_."

_Notes & Keys... _What in the world...? My hand shot up like a rocket. "Excuse me! Question!"

"Just say it like a normal person..." Sasuke muttered underneath his breath.

I shot him a look. It's called being polite, you gorge—you prick!

Nigel found my hand-raising cute apparently and gushed even more. Ugh. I'm going to need a bath after this. "Kit you are just as adorable and sweet as people have told me! So sweet! What's your question?"

I couldn't help but grin. The people of Tokyo thought I was sweet... and adorable! Yes! How does that make you feel, Sasuke? "Well, I just wanted to know what this drama will be about. Is it an action flick or a drama?"

"All that and more! But I can't let on _too _much. I promised my higher ups that I would ruin a single thing about this drama! We've released a lot of teasers here and there—you know, to tease the masses." and yes... he did giggle at his ridiculous pun. "But that is all, that is all! Our actors don't even know what the main plot will be! So they've all been waiting in suspense... until today that is!"

Jiraiya nodded. Okay, apparently _he _knew what was going on since that damn smirk was still on his face. He wasn't about to tell Sasuke and I anything anytime soon... asshole.

"You two will be getting the scripts just like everyone else today and then you'll be going through a few scenes to test out your chemistry between the other actors."

Sasuke nodded, more or less. "Hn. All right. Doesn't sound too difficult."

Doesn't sound too... Was he mad? I shot him a look that screamed just that and he mouthed the word, "Dobe" right back at me. I gritted my teeth and shot him the finger when on one was looking.

Am I seriously the only sane person left?

What they've just told us could be summed up in one or more sentences: "None of the actors know what's going on. They haven't even been seen to show any signs of chemistry and we're pretty much feeding you to the lion's den to see who would win in survival of the fittest."

I am so... screwed.

Jiraiya clapped Sasuke and I on the back, his big, shit-eating grin plastered happily on his face. He was now ranked number one on people I would gift a nuke to. "Well boys. You ready to catch the acting bug?"

"Hn," Sasuke replied. He didn't say anything more than that.

All eyes were on me for the final approval. Not like I _really _had a say in anything. They would still make me go through with the torment anyways.

"Suuuure..." I flashed Nigel my killer smile and two thumbs up. "I'm always up for a challenge!"

"Good! This is so very good!" Nigel gushed and pulled us in for a hug. Ugh. He smelled like he danced around in a field of overly priced perfume. "This will shoot you up right to the top! The very top! I promise you that!"

Yeah. Sure. All right. Whenever I'm not on the verge of passing out from your cologne, we'll see if that happens.

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><p>I was inspired to take MAXED-OUT down this route of Asian drama because I'm on my third time watching Hello Baby Shinee! SOOOO. YOU KNOW! J-pop idols can do acting tooo c; Don't worry. I'll still incorporate their musical sides into it. This is just the way how the magic starts to happen!<p>

Don't you all love Nigel? I know I do. He's fun to write. Always the exclamation points with that one... Always!

Till next time :D


	6. Blowing Up

**Warning: Derp. Too lazy for an A/N so just get ready to have your stuffed animals stolen. IDK. Just a filler for the next chapter. NBD. **

**Disclaimer: I still don't own Sherlock yet... v.v**

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><p><strong>Chapter Six: Blowing Up<strong>

Nigel dropped a tower of scripts on top of the table with a humongous grin scarring his face.

"This, my beautiful artists, is your script—you're new code of life! Study it! Learn it! Grow with the characters!"

I've officially decided this guy was a major nutcase. There was not a sane bone in his body—and that was saying something considering the people I hung out with. I shot my hand high in the air.

"Seguchi-san, question!"

"Fire away, Kit!"

"You still haven't told us what this drama is about… or what our characters are."

Asides from Sasuke and me there were only four other actors in the room. They looked just as confused as we were (and probably just as annoyed) but they were better at hiding it.

Nigel looked like I had just slapped him awake from a nightmare. His bottle green eyes lit up like fireworks as he pranced and twirled around the room. If he started tap dancing I'd be out that door in five seconds… believe it.

"Good question! Very good question! I almost forgot about the most important component to weaving a story—very important. Allow me to pass out our scripts and get this meeting moving." He picked up the stack of scripts and circled around the table, "Hikaru I'd like you to play Nao, a doctor trying to struggle with love, life, and his sanity! He's a very deep, dark, and contorted character!"

Hikaru whatever his last name was took the script hesitantly. From the looks of it, this sort of character either wasn't in his field or had too many spectrums to look at for him to cling onto just _one_. "Uh… I'll do my best, sir." He was also really soft-spoken and seemed pretty shy.

Poor boy.

I'll buy him some cookies later.

"Next up! Next up! Toru, my boy, you will be playing the shop owner of the local bakery. You're a minor character with a major part, but not so miniscule the audience cannot connect with you. You'll be one of the anchors that keep our pitiful and cute Nao afloat."

Should I be freaking out at the way Nigel's eyes turned to the hearts when he looked back and forth between Toru and Hikaru?

I should…

Oh fuck.

He went over the next two roles. Michiru would be playing a high school swimmer having to hide that he works as a host in a club. Leo would play the teacher who finds Michiru's secret.

After that, all that was left was finding Sasuke's and my part…

"Kit, Raven, you two will be the feet that move my dance off the sides and onto center stage!" Nigel gushed and handed out our scripts simultaneously. "Kit, you will be playing a blind man with the gift for the piano. And Raven, you'll be portraying a rich and morbidly eccentric rich man who falls head over heels with our protagonist!"

For a minute I was really jealous. You know, because Sasuke would be the leading man in this drama… and would have to fall for someone else in the drama that's not me. Ugh. Crap. Forget I said that and let's just focus on the first part. Sasuke used to do a lot in the acting biz before he jumped the border over into singing. Why he left I have no damn clue but he's so freaking talented it's not even fair.

He's also freaking gorgeous.

More bonus points for him.

But then Nigel looked at me with hopeful, wide green eyes and a part of me was screaming: "Run! Run while you can before he can eat you!" My eyes fell on my script and leafed to the first page where all the characters were listed in terms of importance and pairings.

This is what nearly sent me to my grave:

_Kit and Raven: Haru & Silo_

I think my heart just stopped.

Dammit it needs to stop that…

"WHAT?" I shot out my seat like a rocket and looked back and forth between Nigel—the lunatic with so many screws loose it had to be illegal—and Sasuke who was… calm.

Too calm. Way too calm for my liking—or my rapidly failing heart.

Sasuke shot me a side-glance and scowled, "Sit down, idiot. It's nothing to pop a blood vessel over."

"Are you fucking serious? It's a whole crap load of things to freak out over!" I gave him a look that practically begged him to crack out in a smirk and say he was joking.

He gave me a look that clearly said: "You are such an idiot".

"It's just acting; like I said, no big deal. If you make this job a bigger deal than need be then obviously you're not ready to further develop your career. Stop being an amateur and step up."

God… his words were so cold. Icicles were vaulted right at my poor, defenseless balloon and it didn't even stand a chance. It popped and the little plastic pieces fell to the earth without any wind to ease their journey.

Wow. Did I just get poetic? Jeez, Sasuke does some scary shit to me.

Anyways. The room was pretty silent after that verbal reprimand/slap so I sat down like the man and almost legal adult I was and grabbed my script.

"So?" I smiled easily, feeling all the tension that clung to everyone's shoulders disappear. "When do we start filming?"

"A week from now!" Nigel blurted out. He had someone managed to fit himself on the rectangular table without anyone even noticing up until now and was doing some form of Pilates… I don't even know. This guy was a freak. "Bring your greatest masks and your purest emotions! First day of filming will be rough, very rough! But I know my little actors can do it!"

We all nodded in agreement but in my mind I was already plotting how to do away with Nigel and which gun I should get to kill off Jiraiya for this obviously staged planned to fuck me up even more.

'_A magnum. Yeah. Yeah that'll be nice. A big fat magnum.' _

+MAXED-OUT: Outside+

Jiraiya was smoking outside, leaning against the wall with his hands jammed in his pocket. I was so tempted to just run up, punch him in the stomach, and watch that cancer stick choke him to his grave.

But I was nice.

And also there were people around.

So you know…

"Aw, Naruto, glad to see you got out of there in one piece…" he gave me a once over and smirked, "and with all your clothes on."

He laughed like it was the funniest thing in the world since Saturday Night Live. I gave him my greatest death glare because he was a bastard and wasn't all that funny.

"Tell me, in whatever fucking language you speak in, what gave you the idea to make us do this drama!" I cried. This was all some sick joke, wasn't it? Jiraiya liked to tease me that my "feelings" for Sasuke were "so damn obvious a deaf person could figure it out".

First of all I had no feelings for the gorgeous, sexy, down right handsome raven…

Obviously.

Jiraiya raised his eyebrows and took another puff of air, "Wasn't my idea."

"Then who's fault was it? I will personally shove my foot up their ass for this!"

He shrugged. "Well, I can't say I didn't have a _role _in this…"

Now he's just screwing with me.

"Jiraiya so help me if you don't answer my question…"

"Fine. Fine. Don't get your sparkly pants in a bunch." Oi, my pants weren't sparkly! Their fabric was just shiny and stuff and glittered every time I… okay. They were sparkly. "Kyuubi and I were thinking about this for a while ever since Nigel requested to use you two. Obviously we told him we couldn't just let one of Japan's top J-pop groups go for three months on a drama. Our promotion, producing, and song-writing time would start to drop."

Yeah. That all would have made sense to me if Jiraiya, you know, _rejected _Nigel's offer.

"So why did you say yes?"

"Oh, that's an easy one." Jiraiya smirked and took another drag of what I hope would be the killing breath from his cigarette. "Nigel offered to let you guys write the soundtrack for his drama. It'll only last one season for you two and the majority of the episodes will flop back and forth with the pairings."

"But we're still the main pairing!" I argued. "And, by the way, you made Nigel pair me up… with Sasuke! Sasuke mother fucking Uchiha! Of all the people!"

Jiraiya shot me another look. "Is that an issue?"

My God I want to kick him.

So I did, hard.

It felt fantastic.

Jiraiya nearly choked on his cigarette.

Next time I'll kick harder.

"You fucking brat!" He bellowed, stubbing out his cigarette while he was hacking up whatever harmful toxins went down the right way. Good. I hope you freaking gag.

I smiled like Prince Charming and playfully patted his back, "And what have we learned from screwing around with our J-pop musicians?"

When Jiraiya was all done gagging and hacking, he shot me a glare and pushed my hand away. Tch. What a sourpuss.

"You're doing this drama, Naruto."

"What? Why?" I _almost _whined; almost. I even went as far as shooting him my big, blue puppy eyes. They had no effect, sadly. "This is to fulfill some sick desire to humiliate me, isn't it?"

Jiraiya rolled his eyes and fixed up his jacket of whatever wrinkles his old eyes had spotted. "Look. Kyuubi and I had already made our decision and we wouldn't have done this if we didn't believe something good would come out of this. Now be a good boy, shut the hell up, and start studying your script. I'm not about to have that psycho director bitch at me because one of my workers was slacking."

With that, Jiraiya turned on his heel and walked away… white ponytail swishing in the air and all. For the moment I had the urge to run up and play with his ponytail. But I was mad at him, and doing something silly and joyful would be going against all the imaginary strikes and picket signs I had created in my head! No, Naruto Uzumaki would not be accepting of this!

I can't act!

I have nothing dramatic in my body!

And to… to… be paired up with Sasuke in _that _way.

I don't even know if that's even possible considering how loudly my heart was thumping.

"Ramen," I muttered to myself as I walked back into the studio. "I need twenty bowls and a box full off—Ouch!"

Right in front of me stood no one other but Sasuke Uchiha himself… he was glaring full force at me for three seconds before his expression softened and he looked, for a split second, like he was actually _sorry _for bumping into me.

"You should really look up when you're walking. The floor can't be that interesting." And then he smirked…

And everything I could have said just flushed out of my brain…

"Uh…" I swallowed. Why am I nervous _now _out of all the possible situations that could have popped up ten times worse than this? "I… If you would have moved out of the way when I was coming then I wouldn't have bumped into you!"

His smirk increased, "I know."

I wanted to kick him now, too.

Shaking my head, because really if I didn't get _some _ramen into my system I was going to have an epidemic, I started off to the cafeteria ready to drown my anxieties when Sasuke's voice came and shook my steps, making me freeze.

"Do you really have a problem acting with me?"

Now, if this were anyone else I'd probably reply with something bright and witty like: "No! Of course not! Why would I have problems acting with someone as (insert some random adjective here) as you are?"

But this was _Sasuke. _And he actually had the humanity to look _sincere _about it.

Dammit, he was a fantastic actor.

Think, Naruto, think! What to say… what to say…

Oh yeah! I could gush about how some huge percentage of me wants to act with you in this drama because for once, for a brief second of fabricated reality, you're mine and I'm yours even if I'm blind (bonus points for being boss at piano!). I can't say that, though. Because my mind is battling my heart saying I'm just being irrational, stupid, and overall hormonal.

But God… I want to say all of that and I can't even figure out _why_.

So instead I put on a performance of my own. I give him one of my smirks that completely masked all the random emotions flitting around. "Trust me, I have no issue acting in something like this. Sure, I never thought they'd pair two guys together but eh… what can we do." I shrugged like it was no big deal.

It wasn't.

Someone should ship me my Oscar now.

Sasuke gave me a look. One of those looks that made you think the other person was slowly chipping away at the bars leading to your soul. It didn't even last that long and yet when he gave me a scowl I could _still _feel that shiver silently trembling through out my body.

"Then why did you freak out earlier? You're reaction doesn't match your attitude."

"I had a change of heart?" Don't blame me for trying to catch any fish…

"Bull," damn. Came back with absolutely nothing.

"Well can you blame me? If you haven't noticed we're not exactly bosom buddies? You can't stand me; I can't stand you. We only put on some happy façade to please the masses! So you tell me, Uchiha, why are _you _so okay with this?"

I don't even know how or why or what drove those words out of me. It was like I had shots bullets at a defenseless puppy. I sounded like such a jerk and a whiner and a big, fat, idiot but the words came out faster than I could stop them and…

For a split second I thought something remotely close to being hurt flash in Sasuke's eyes but it was gone so quickly I'm pretty sure I was seeing things.

Sasuke gave me a scowl and shook his head, "I know that already, Dobe. But we're professionals and it's our job to take whatever task our manager gives us and perform to the best of your abilities. We're only acting. It's not like our emotions are real." He walked off after that, once again leaving me cold with his words.

So cold and just… empty, like a fish tank after you take out the last dead fish.

Seriously… no wonder Sasuke always has a knack for writing songs, he uses words like they're weapons and he was trained to _kill_.

I slapped a hand over my face and groaned, "This… blows."

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><p>Reviews are lovely c;<p> 


	7. When The Fox Gets Swallowed

LOLOLOL, someone could see through my inspiration for my little drama c; Thought I was being sneaky but noooo. I've been found out so soon. My plan of being a stealthy ninja with plot twists has failed... for now. (;

**Warning: OhMyGod it's signs of Haru and Silo. What would their pairing name be? Halo? HALO? . HALO. SOMEONE MAKE IT A FANDOM. kaljfkajflajkfaljf. GENIUS.**

**Disclaimer: MY BIRTHDAY'S ON THURSDAY APRIL 5TH. I OWN THAT SO SUCK GOVERNMENT. I also updated early for you guys. Because you wanted early updates. And because I'm magical. AND BECAUSE I WON MY SOCCER GAME. WHAT WHAAAAT. SCORED A DAMN GOAL!**

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><p><strong>Chapter Seven: When The Fox Gets Swallowed <strong>

Kiba came up and hugged me from behind like we were some star cross lovers reuniting in the middle of a school hallway, forcibly torn apart because of the cruel oppressions from the outside world.

If you haven't noticed I've been reading my script a lot and now I'm picking up on how to make things sound more overly dramatic than they actually are.

Am I any good yet?

"Hey there, cutie. Here often?" he purred into my ear. If it were any other day but Friday (and this Friday in particular) I would have played along. But not today. Oh no. I was freaking tired, snappy, and _craving _a delicious bowl of ramen. So Kiba had to deal with the shark today.

"I'm here five days out of seven. Guess which days, Sherlock." I pushed myself off of him and shot him a glare. Really, he smells nice and all but his clinginess was just fueling on the snappy little shark named Naru Fierce and I can't control Naru Fierce when it wants to bite…

God, I sound like a freak. Ignore me today. Actually no, don't ignore me. I might rant later on.

Kiba pouted and sniffed, "Geez, man. No need to have your undies all twisted and shoved up your butt."

"Sorry, I'm just really stressed out right now. You know that drama I was talking about?"

"Oh, the one you kept on whining about?" Kiba teased. He seriously wanted to be eaten by Naru Fierce, didn't he?

Well he shall be the main course tonight, that's for sure.

"No. I've been telling about it in a ranting manner; there's a difference." I huffed and started down the hallway for my next class. Kiba fell in line next to me because his classroom was right next door to mine. Gotta love coincidences.

"Of course there is. Dude, seriously though, why are you stressing? I've seen you act multiple times and you're a freaking genius! Not as great as _I _am but I'm humble enough to give props were props are deserved."

I rolled my eyes. "Sure. You're humble as pie. But you've been acting since you could roll around in a playpen. The only time I've ever done any acting were in music videos or like… in class when I need to get out of a jam." Hell, in those music videos I don't even _talk_. It's more like I'm moving along to the storyline our music creates. And with classes I have to make up stories on the spot whenever I was late and didn't have my job to use as an excuse. I guess they're the same as working in a drama but… still…

I have to act with _Sasuke Motherfucking Uchiha. _That just blows everything out of the whole damn Atlantic.

"You'll be fine, dude." We're standing by the doors to our classrooms now, our lovely little brotherly/friendly/terrible pump-up walk coming to an end. "Once you read over the script a few times and run through the lines with Mr. Bastard you'll be fine." He patted me on the shoulder a few times and grinned, "And if you ever need any help you know where to find me."

"I'll search the corner long and hard, my friend, " I grinned and patted his shoulder. All right so maybe the prostitute joke wasn't needed for such a simple, heartwarming situation.

But it was funny!

Kiba shook his head at me and grinned even wider. "You're funny, dude. Freaking _hilarious._"

"Finally! Someone else notices my humorous genius!"

About damn time they did.

+MAXED-OUT+

Now let me tell you guys how freaking _awkward _my Friday was. First of all, in Chemistry we were working with highly reactive chemicals. Since I'm the handsome daredevil I am, of course I had do double the amounts of compounds being mixed in the experiment…

And since I'm such a handsome, hilarious, daredevil my experiment had to explode… loudly… in my face. All over me and my partner, the table, the table behind us, and our Chem teacher.

"Naruto, you little shit!" Oh shit. Deidara (my lovely/highly destructive Chem teacher) didn't look too happy. Actually I can't tell what he looks like because his face is covered with blue gunk that I'm pretty sure isn't healthy for the skin.

Whoops.

I shot my hand high in the air, "Sensei, I don't think you should be cursing in the presence of your students!"

"My classes. My fucking rules!" Blue gunk really wasn't his color. Not at all. He should really try a red or a pink next time, works well with his hair color…

Speaking of his hair… It's mighty long. How in the fuck is he going to get that out?

"But think of the children!" I even add a little wail in for extra effect. Damn, my acting skills even surprise _me_.

Deidara was fuming by the time he stomped over to my side, pulled me roughly towards the emergency shower. With the most wicked smile I've ever seen on a human being—I'm starting to wonder if Deidara even _was _human—Deidara said, "Now strip."

What...

What in the...

Fuck?

"Are you fucking serious?" I'm pretty sure God could hear me I screamed that loud. The whole class burst into laughter and cat calls and other obscene things that made me want to explode blue gunk on their faces next...

And watch it burn their faces...

That would be fun.

"Why yes, yes I am. As serious as this blue gunk is on my face." Would he let it go already? Deidara wasn't about to budge and obviously I wouldn't be leaving this classroom with a shred of dignity left all because of one stupid mistake...

I turned around and started to take off my sweater vest. "Fine you freaking sadist. I'll strip. But I swear if you even look at me funny..."

I didn't have time to finish my sentence before Deidara pulled the chord and I was noticeably drenched.

Eff. My. Life.

+MAXED-OUT+

My next class was English and once again Kakashi manged to pick the most humiliating lessons to teach _just _to get a jab at me.

Thank God I had Kiba as loyal idiot number two to stand by me.

That was until...

"I'm not going up there, man."

"What? Why not?" Dude, the idiot duo does not quit! We don't even know what quitting means? What is this blasphemy?

Kiba shook his head wildly and formed his arms in an "x" over his face. "Dude. I love you, don't get me wrong... but I didn't read the homework last night—"

"And you think I did?" I hissed. Seriously, what does Kiba suddenly take me for? A academically prone genius?

"Well he called on you not me..." he whispered back lamely.

That's not the point, Kiba! If I get chosen to be shot by the Nazis it is an unspoken rule that you step up and we go down together! I didn't print out ten copies of the Uzumaki Friendship manual for shits and giggles!

"Naruto, my class isn't going to go on forever. Please step forward or I'll have to have Choji force you up here."

Oh. All right. I see how this is gonna go down, Kakashi. I see your master plan...

Yeah I've got nothing.

The walk up to the board felt like death row. Everyone had a rifle and their target was me. My only chance of survival was to not screw up this mini impromptu speech about the character development shown in chapters six and seven.

Hell, I don't even know who this character _is_? Lassie? Katniss? Uhh... Harry?

Fuck I'm so screwed.

"Whenever you're ready, Naruto." Don't you dare smirk. It's rude. It's... it's... Ugh. I'm running out of words to say.

This is going to _suck_.

Before I open my mouth I see Kiba mouth the words "Good Luck" to me and flash me a thumbs up.

I nod weakly. I'm going to need all the luck I could get.

"Whenever you're ready, Naruto."

That'll be around... oh yeah. Never.

+MAXED-OUT+

"Lunch! Freedom! Escape! Food!" I wasn't even speaking coherently but by now I couldn't care _less_. The first half of my day was utter Hell rolled up in a ball of tacks and thrown right at my left eye. Yeah, I don't even know where that came from but I can promise you it was terrible. Horrifying. Annoying.

And made me extremely cranky towards anyone with two legs, two eyes, two arms, two hands, and a body.

Gaara shook his head at me while I crammed everything that smelled delicious onto my tray. "Bad day?"

"The worst!"

"Are you being over dramatic?"

"I resent that! I am perfectly calm about every situation."

Put down that imaginary eyebrow! There is no need for it be so raised and arched and... gah.

Gaara rolled his eyes at me as I dashed for our usual table. The gang was already there chattering about something I'll probably shove myself into once I have some food rolling around in my stomach.

"Naruto, my dear friend, what is up?" Lee calls out to me as I drop down and start to devour my food.

"Can't talk. Must eat." interrupt me and you all shall die!

"Don't mind him, Lee." Gaara stepped in. He was sitting beside me and giving me death glares every time a stray piece of food happened to land near him. I was too busy to flip him off so I did that mentally. I'm such a pro. "Naruto's having his queenly rampaging moment today and we all have to suffer through it." he waves his hands flippantly and starts to dig into his meal.

Hey! If he were in my shoes he'd be stalking over to his corner of sulk and depression where he'd brood lunch away. He's done that numerous times. But do I give him crap for that?

Fuck yes I do but that's a totally different situation.

Sakura and Ino both nodded sagely. "Naruto PMS more than we do," Sakura chirped in.

"Deffy," Ino nodded.

No Ino, you're point in invalid because "deffy" isn't a word.

I shoot my so-called friends a glare and dig into my pudding. It was chocolate pudding, my favorite type of pudding, and these downers weren't going to get in the way of me and my attempts of pumping up my mood!

"You guys are no help at all! Some best friends you are," I sniffed.

Kiba rolled his eyes and flicked a french fry at me. "Dude, you're having a bad day. Everyone has a bad day. Suck it up and stop shoveling down food. It won't look good for your figure."

"Screw my figure!" I downed my second carton of milk and was about to start my third when a shadow crossed over me and a hand touched my shoulder...

My first impulse was to scream: "MURDERER!" but then a familiar voice hit me and I almost—_almost—_broke out into shivers for all the awkward reasons.

"Dobe," Oh lovely fucking dandelions it was Sasuke.

My whole table was shot silent, which showed a _lot _since we were normally loud and obnoxious when put together. Sakura and Ino were secretly trying to fan themselves while apply some make up because you know, apparently Sasuke was the hottest thing on earth since volcanoes. Lee was glaring daggers. Kiba was trying to maintain cool and Gaara was munching away like the world wasn't about to come to an end because of one person's sudden appearance at our lunch table.

Silly, silly boy...

For appearance's sake I scowled and slapped off his hand, "I have a name you know."

"I'm fully aware of that." he smirked. See! He does these things on purpose to piss me off!

"Well use it then! Or else you can kindly fuck off and leave me to my lunch in peace." that little comment earned me kicks to _both _knees from Sakura and Ino. "Ouch, fucking... what the hell guys?" I shot them all glares but they both just gave me looks that screamed promises of death and torture and...

Sharpened... manicured... nails... digging into me and yeah it's not pleasant so moving on.

Sakura snapped out of her "OH LET'S GLARE NARUTO DOWN TILL HE MELTS" phase and fluttered her fake eyelashes at Sasuke. "I'm so sorry, Sasuke-kun. We're trying to teach Naruto manners, honest!"

"Poor kid, just doesn't know how to respect his elders." Ino sighed like I was the troublesome one and shook her head.

Excuse me, we're in the same fucking grade! Same damn age! Okay, he's like... a couple of months older than me but that doesn't matter!

I was about to say something extremely witty when Sasuke cut me off, using that damn smile of him that was 100% fake.

"I appreciate you're help, but I've dealt with Naruto for a while and his childishness doesn't bother me." God, I really hate that smile. It's all sick, and disgusting, and handsome...

I meant vile. Vile. Yeah. Handsome is a synonym for vile now. Put it in your dictionary.

The girls were blushing like mad at being on the receiving end of Sasuke's glamorous smile and they were out babbling long enough for Sasuke to grab me by the arm and pull me from the table.

"Oi! Hands off me, you bastard!" I tried to struggle, I really did, but Sasuke had one hell of a grip! "Where are you taking me, huh?"

"The music room," Sasuke replied, not even skipping a beat.

What in the fucking world...?

Five minutes later and we were standing in the music room. Along the way my brain came up with the assumption that Sasuke was finally going to murder me and attack the music scene as a solo artist. It would be all planned and calculated so that no one would ever know he was the true culprit and he'd be making millions while I'd be rotting in a grave.

Then the least logical part of my brain tried to convince me that Sasuke was going to man handle me in all the right ways.

Yeah... my brain is pretty freaking ridiculous.

"Well?" I folded my arms across my chest. The sunlight was high in the sky and shot through the arched windows of the music room. No one really comes into this one since we have so many others located around the school and this room is way out there so no one really comes. So the part of my brain wanting to be manhandled by Sasuke was beginning to freak out like a fish out of water...

"Do you have your script?"

Damn. I'm not getting manhandled... I mean... YES!

I raised an eyebrow, "Uhhh... I left it in my locker. Why?"

Sasuke scoffed, muttering something under his breath that was probably offensive and pulled out two scripts. Why he had those already prepared was beyond me...

"Typical. We're expected to be prepared for next week and you're slacking."

"Sorry, I don't expect to be dragged off in the middle of lunch to please your stick-in-the-mud ways," I sniffed.

Sasuke just shot me a glare and tossed me the script. "Whine as much as you want but we're getting some lines in before shooting starts."

Why does everyone keep saying I whine today? I do not whine! I doooooon't!

I rage.

There's a difference.

"I actually _was _practicing my lines last night, you know."

"Flipping through the script and then yelling: 'DONE' doesn't mean anything."

Dammit he's on to me...

"Fine. Fine. We'll do things your way." I shrugged, "Where should we start?"

"Page 12 scene 2," Sasuke answered automatically and just like that the atmosphere around us change. He wasn't looking at me with indescribable onyx, orbs that were always either glaring at me or blank. They were glowing in a way that made my body shake and caused heat to erupt just about everywhere.

Dammit I hope I'm not blushing... how in the hell can he get into character so fast?

"Haru, play me a song."

I stared at him blankly for a few seconds before looking down at my script. Right. Right. We were acting. Acting, Uzumaki, acting!

"Did you have anything you wanted to hear in particular?" I was sitting at the piano for this scene, my finger tips ghosting the piano keys up and down, feeling the music pump through my veins. I was blind in this story, but apparently I was able to sense other being's around me and was hyper aware to a lot of things.

For example, when Sasuke came up behind me and hugged me around the waist, Naruto wanted to to jump ten feet in the air and run away but Haru... Haru was supposed to sit back and lean into his embrace. Haru was supposed to give in to that small part of me that may have wanted to... play along. He was supposed to love this.

My heartbeat was pounding way too loudly for my liking.

"Play that one tune... how does it go... _la, la, la_," Sasuke had a really soothing voice and having it so close to my ear... all low and whispery... Ugh. I nearly lost it. Nearly.

But Haru was in control and he could calm all the urges of wanting to jump Sasuke right there and then...

I smile softly, eyes closed. I actually remembered this part from last night because it was one of the, many, more intimate scenes between us and well... I was curious. And once I was curious you couldn't stop me.

"That's your favorite, huh?"

"It sounds so beautiful coming from you..." he breathes out against my neck. I inwardly shiver and wish his lips would actually _touch _me but I don't pursue that thought... I can't pursue it. Then he does the impossible—well, it's probably highly possible seeing as its in the script—and barely kisses me on the cheek, "You're beautiful."

Damn you Haru for being such a lucky bastard.

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><p>Halo is gonna be famous one day (;<p> 


	8. Late Nights and Sugar Bites

**Warning: Can't talk much so quickly, let me just say thanks to the reviews and alerts and favs! :D I love you all! Also, I can't remember if this is a cray-stuff-fa-fa blowing up chapter or not so just wear a diaper. Or not. Whatever makes you want to buy a rubber ducky.**

**Disclaimer: Why am I so weird?**

Enjoy c;

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><p><strong>Chapter Eight: Late Nights and Sugar Bites<strong>

How I ever got to sleep tonight was beyond me. All night I'd been having the same dream over and over again. Sasuke had his arms wrapped around me, almost clinging onto me, and he was whispering the same words over and over again.

Three, deadly words that made me jump straight out of bed with a sweat covering my body and my heart in a whirl.

I refused to make eye contact with the sleeping form of my roommate only a few feet away. He was sleeping without a care in the world, totally oblivious to what his earlier touches in the music room had done to me. They drove me _crazy_.

And that bastard… he has no freaking clue that he's fueling on my illogical sense of hope that something could happen between us.

+MAXED-OUT+

"You ready for this, Kit?"

"Yup. I have my gun loaded and everything. My note's even written in that fancy cursive you like and, oh! I even dotted my I's with hearts!"

Jiraiya sneered at me, obviously not liking my sense of humor. Deep down he loves it. I know he does. You can't hate my humor. It's the best. "There's a reason why you tanked in the comedy profession."

"My comedy skills are top notch!"

"Right, right, of course they are." He rolled his eyes at me and ushered me down the hallway towards the set—my doom, the Hell he was willingly throwing me into for _publicity. _"Before you go, have you and Raven come up with any ideas for your songs?"

I felt my face heat up just by hearing this guy's _name_. Ugh. This is bad, really bad. I can't be acting this way for _him_. He's the worst person to get all… flushy over. Is flushy even a word? Sounds like something you'd name a dead fish.

Yeah, I had a fish. His name was Flushy. Guess why.

"N-No. We've been busy practicing our lines… Sasuke said inspiration would hit us if we went through them a couple of times."

"Aaaandd…?"

"I said nothing happened, didn't I?"

"That's not acceptable, brat." Jiraiya shoved a stupid cancer stick into his mouth and puffed out the largest cloud of smoke I've ever had the displeasure to see. "Nigel may accept you two slacking off but I won't. New song by this Saturday, got it?"

"Are you kidding me?" I was so tempted to grab his cigarette and poke him in the eye with it. He was having his elderly moments of pure insanity and I was going to suffer for it. I see it coming.

"Does it look like I'm joking?"

"Looks like it to me."

Jiraiya pushed me through the doors leading to the set and growled. "Act. Think of a new song. Then come back to me. If you don't have something by the end of the day say goodbye to your ass." he turned on his heel and stormed out of the room, leaving me to just stand there and wonder why in the world I had to have the meanest guy as my manager again.

Oh right. No choice. Woo for democracy!

I pushed a few bangs out of my hair as a swarm of people started to surround me. They were all rattling off orders and greetings and details about what would happen today and really they were all just fueling on the pounding headache instigated by stress. I really needed a bowl of ramen.

Why do I always turn to ramen to calm my nerves again? Oh right. Because it's banging. Good reminder.

"Naruto-kun!" Finally, a familiar face! Hinata jogged up to me, her usual blush staining her porcelain face. She smiled when she saw me, and for a moment I thought about what it would be like if my heart didn't explode every time it thought of he who shall not be named. If I had looked at Hinata and felt the same heat and explosions and jitters like I did with him I'd probably be a lot happier.

But deep down I knew that couldn't happen. It didn't feel right to me.

I smiled back and brought her in for a hug. She was a stuttering mess when we broke apart. "Hinata! I'm so glad to see you! You have no idea how it feels to see a familiar face around these people"

"B-But you h-have S-Sasuke-kun..."

I waved my hand at her suggestion although my heart was screaming: Ha! If only that were true! "Me and Sasuke? Actually talk outside of work? Hinata you give me too much credit. Even I can't warm that iceberg of a heart."

Hinata nodded her head wildly and if I hadn't stopped her she would have lost a head today. "I-I understand. So... um... are you excited a-about your new work?"

I hooked my arm with hers and led her to the dressing room and I mean _led_. It was a wonder how she didn't just fall by the way she was stuttering and flailing around. Maybe I shouldn't tease her this much—no matter how cute she is when she stutters—because it's not really fair but damn... this was fun! No! Morals, Naruto. Stick to them.

Then again...

We reached the dressing room only by the grace of God and in a matter of seconds I was sitting in a tall, spinning chair like you'd see at the barber's with a cape wrapped around me and Hinata pulling out her supplies. While she worked on getting my hair right for the image of Haru, I sat chatting away about how this medium of acting was such a new world to me.

She giggled behind her hand as she pulled at the last piece of hair with her curler. "You really walked up to her and said that?"

I grinned from ear to ear, recalling the story about how I pretended to be Haru and lost in the big city, bumping into a girl and asking her where I could find my puppy Loki. Let me tell you it was an absolute riot... "I did! I did! She was so confused! Oh dear, I should have my own show."

Naruto the prankster. Going around and pranking the beautiful citizens of Tokyo one wonderful act at a time.

"If you're going to be wasting your time goofing off, you might as well expel those energies into writing a song." Oh great. The man who shall not be named has just appeared and he's wearing the pair of jeans I like. Fuck. They were black and skinny and had random patches and rips scattered around. They did wonders for his ass and...

I need to stop thinking about this. It's distracting me from my focus which was... actually... nothing. Damn. I need a focus. The song! Think of the song!

I shoot him a glare from the mirror watching him walk in with one of the set's make-up artists following behind him like a attached cat. "I did it for inspiration! I really wanted to connect with Haru and what better way to do that then go out in the real world and play pretend?"

Sasuke takes the chair next to me because it was the only chair in the room meant for make-up and hair but, as you all know, my heart had an over reactive imagination to these things and came up with the ridiculous idea that he _wanted _to be next to me. Stupid thing. "We've been practicing together for the past week."

"That doesn't help me with my solo scenes."

"Still, think about your position a little, idiot. Nigel wanted to keep this show under wraps, if people around the city find out about your little urge to spread the acting bug around what do you think will happen?"

I try not to slink lower in my seat while Hinata desperately tries to work with my make-up. Right. If the media ever got wind of what we're doing that would surely ruin all the suspense Nigel has been building up for the past couple of months. Granted we just got our scripts and roles recently, but since his decision was so last minute no one knows that Japan's hottest group, MAXED-OUT, would be in his drama.

Nigel was all big on the surprises and if his biggest one got released too early... pop goes the balloon.

I pouted, "I was careful..." I muttered as Hinata put on the final touches to my make-up.

Sasuke rolled his eyes as his own hair was getting done up for the shooting. "Sure you were. Do you even think about these things thoroughly, Dobe? Oh wait. You can't with your brain size."

Fury started to pump through my veins. All right, I can stand through a little reprimanding, but this? An insult to my intelligence so bluntly in front of two people? Not cool, Uchiha. Not fucking cool. Wipe off that damn smirk from your face! "You think you're better than me, huh? Well screw you, Uchiha! Not everyone was born with gifts just stuffed in them ready to be abused for their own benefit! Some of us actually have to _work _to get anywhere." if Hinata wasn't holding her straightener back I would have grabbed it and aimed for Sasuke's throat. Everyone looked rather stunned by my eruption. Well good. Be amazed and stare at how well I don't take crap being thrown at me like that.

Sasuke may be attractive and my heart may be in danger of giving out whenever I'm near him but I'll be damned if I'm going to sit there and let him insult me. I have my pride.

I looked over at Hinata who looked like she was on the verge of fainting and started to peel of the cape from around my neck. "I'm done, right?" she looked at me in confusion before nodding rapidly. I handed her the cape and forced on one of my bright smiles just for her. "Thanks for the hair and make-up. As always you do a flawless job." I throw her a wink as I head for the door. For the life of me I still don't understand why I turned my head to lock gazes with Sasuke who didn't even look phased from my outburst. "We're partners, so of course I want us to both succeed. But now I'm determined to outshine you. So step up your game, Uchiha, or you'll find yourself dealing with my shadow."

+MAXED-OUT+

I never realized how comfortable walls were when you needed something to lean on the most. They didn't talk back while you were ranting and fuming about how you should really think before you speak and they silently gave you comfort with the chilliness of their touch that everything would be okay.

My God. I really need to stop reading this script.

Nigel prances over me, red as a tomato, and does a little twirl when he reaches me. "Kit-kun, oh my oh dear don't you look absolutely fab! So fab! Your hair is adorable!"

I pulled at the ends of my somewhat curly and puffed out hair with at least a little humility and smiled softly, "Thanks. Hinata always does a good job with my hair and make-up."

"She does! Oh my how she does! Even the contacts are fit to perfection!" he grabbed me by the cheeks, forcing my eyes to pop wide open. For the shooting Nigel made sure to order specially made contacts without the contacts customized to look like a foggy ocean blue. I had to admit the man knew how to get the job done.

Jiraiya walked up to us and placed a hand on my shoulder, "You did a fantastic job, Seguchi-san."

"Oh please." Nigel fanned himself at Jiraiya's compliment. Ugh. Gag me. "We've known each other for months now, please call me Nigel! Nigel, Jiraiya!"

"Fine. Nigel, good job," Jiraiya's smile was becoming more tight lipped. Ha! He was starting to get to you too. "By the way, I was curious to know what sort of image, message, or theme you wanted for your opening song. And the other songs for the soundtrack."

"Themes... themes... Themes—oh right! The themes! I have a sticky note for them, you see." he pulled out his android and pressed a couple of buttons, revealing a screen full of nothing but stickies. "The theme for the opening is purple—light, elegant, but with a deep pang of sadness! Track number one is orange for—"

Jiraiya, thankfully, took the cell from Nigel and cut him off before we were standing there for hours going over what each color of the note meant. "Thank you, Nigel. I'll have these notes e-mailed to Kit and Raven and have them working on the song right away."

"Right. Right. Of course! That would be magnif but don't rush yourselves! Kit, I know you can write me masterpieces, oh how I know, but don't let me pressure you! Art can not come from pressure. Art needs the room to breathe and grow in a space comfortable to the artist."

I nodded along and was torn between wanting to rip off the man's mouth and hugging him. He just saved me from a world of pressure and stress. I bowed and muttered a thanks before walking onto the set after my name was called. Sasuke was already standing there in his costume—a nice suit adorned with a navy blue tie. I was simply wearing a pair of jeans and a sweater. Since we didn't have a song for my piano recital where Sasuke and I were supposed to unofficially meet, Nigel said we can work on our other scenes.

This one would be our official meeting that would be filmed outside at a park right across the studio. All the equipment was there and ready to go apparently.

Sasuke looked really good in his suit. It was tailored to fit him perfectly and whoever made the suit did a great job. If I hadn't known better I would think Sasuke really came from the business world.

Despite my earlier blow up in the dressing room I still had the morality to be tact with him. We were partners, after all. "Raven."

He nodded back. "Kit."

"I was just talking to Nigel. He said he'd e-mail the themes for the songs to us later today."

"Hn."

"Um..." I scratched my nose nervously. Great. He was shutting himself away from me. Great, Naruto. Your partner is having an inner hissy fit because of your earlier hissy fit and now nothing was going to work right and it was all your—

"Today's performance... you better sell it." his eyes locked with mine and something deep and hot sparked inside of me. It was a light in his eyes that I've only seen once in my life. It was the spark that came from the thought of finally having someone who could battle with him on his level. If I didn't know better, I would guess he took my words from earlier to heart and was finally going to acknowledge me on some level. "Don't tell me your words were only for show," he smirked.

I shook my head wildly and shot him a cocky smile in return. "Naruto Uzumaki never backs down from a challenge, Teme."

"Good. Because I wouldn't want the dobe to be all bark and no bite."

We stood there, staring as if there was some great divide between us but in reality I thought we had grown just a tad bit closer... if that was even possible. I quirked my lips and he did the same and all too soon Nigel was calling us to get ready for our first day of shooting.

+MAXED-OUT+

Footsteps, they were quick and precise—the sound of a man on a mission. Loki stiffened and my head instantly jerked up, appearing calm and unknowing but silently trained on those footsteps... the movement... the sound...

Like a violin orchestra getting ready for the ambush.

I felt a shadow cross over me. The sun was blocked. Loki was standing restrained but warning, tiny growls escaping from his medium-sized body. My first instinct in this situation would be to run, but I knew this presence. It was the presence that had given me a bouquet of flowers from my performance last week.

"To think... of all the places... I would find you here."

I looked up at the familiar voice. I felt the smile that must have been on his lips peering down on me and it sent a rush of heat coursing through my body.

I sent him a smaller smile in return. "I didn't know I was to be looked for. But I will admit I was waiting for you to show up again..." this time I let my smile grow bigger.

He knelt down in front of me, Loki standing by my side but still guarded from this new presence, and rested his hands on my knees. "I couldn't forget about you. I wanted... no I _had _to find you; to see you again. To hear your beautiful music."

"If it's my music you want, I have another recital coming up next week."

"No. I don't mean it like that. I want your music... for myself." he gently cupped my chin and stroked the skin with the pad of his thumb. "I want you."

And my face exploded in a flush. My heart hammering loudly against my ribcage. My eyes were wide open now and even with my glassy contacts I could see him perfectly. His gaze was so... penetrating... my soul was burning away at his gaze.

His face was leaning closer...

My breath was coming out in short pants...

"Brilliant! Lovely! Magnif! Absolute perfection!" Nigel cut us off from the illusion. The world where under this blue sky something could happen to us souls who were bound by music. He jumped from his director's seat and started to flail his rolled up script around the air, "As expected from you two, you both gave a stellar first performance for our first day! It's a sign, a sign I say, that this is going to be my best production yet! I feel it! Everyone, let us move to our next pairing's scene, yes?"

As everything was being moved from around me, the camera's, the people, and even Sasuke's warm touch... I still stayed. My eyes staring up at the sky, a burning lodged in my throat, and my heart constricted around bone.

"I said I'd give him a performance... but these feelings are way too real for me..."


	9. Hell Yeah It's Our Song

THIS IS MY BIRTHDAY UPDATE TO YOU GUYS! Because we're at 60 reviews right now and I'm like "YOU KNOW WHAT? I'M ON SUCH A LOVING RAMPAGE THAT YOU GUYS GET A RIDICULOUSLY EARLY UPDATE! LOVE ME. LOVE ME I SAY!"

I also have this crazy idea to do freestanding SasuNaru oneshots... SHOULD THAT EVEN ATTEMPTABLE. Idk, man, but it's been bugging me for a while and I'd love to get prompts and stuff-fa-fa but ANYWAYS.

**Warning: Guys. I don't even remember. Just remember that if anything detrimental happens.. you still love me c; **_Pretty words like this mean they're singinggg. _

**Disclaimer: I OWN MY BIRTHDAY! EFF YEAH I'M FINALLY SIXTEEN!**

Enjoy c;

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><p><strong>Chapter Nine: Hell Yeah It's Our Song<strong>

Shit… shit… oh shit. Oh rainbow colored guppies I'm so—

"You're late."

Sasuke's leaning against the door to the recording studio looking like he wanted to fuck me… I mean. Like he wanted to punch me. Stupid brain, why would he want to fuck me? I need a cat.

I give him my killer smile that was commented by Japan's most popular magazine, Linx, to be able to melt anyone's heart in a matter of seconds. Too bad it didn't work on Sasuke since, you know, he doesn't own a heart. "Would you believe how terrible traffic was today?"

Sasuke didn't look amused. "You take the train."

I shrugged. "Dude. Congestion on a train is terrible. I don't even know how I survived without getting some major injuries!"

"Quit the dramatics and get in the studio."

I'd like to get in your pants.

Good thing I didn't say that out loud.

"Pushy bastard…" I just got here! And I was legitimately late because of the train—I don't lie about my trains—so he shouldn't be so moody! Hoisting my duffle bag a little higher on my shoulder I followed the prick into the recording studio. Kyuubi was already there sitting at the controls with one huge headphone taped to his ear.

"You better not be talking about me, Kit, or I'll skin your ass." Kyuubi had the intimidation of a rabid coyote. But you see, I had the wit of a graceful roadrunner so a gangster redhead was no problem for me!

"Why? Because you know it's true?" I dropped my duffle bag on a nearby bench, fully aware that I was pushing one of the best producers to ever hit the music industry's buttons but hey… it's my uncle. What's the worse he's gonna do?

Wait. Don't answer that. He could do a shit load of terrible stuff.

Kyuubi looks like he's about to throw that pencil in his hand right for my throat. "If you weren't my nephew brat…"

Sasuke walks up beside me and shakes his head, "One of these days he's really going to kill you."

"Awww, would you miss me?"

"Nope. Not really."

Damn. Well. I tried.

"All right you freaks," Kyuubi leans back in his ridiculously huge black chair and raises two fingers in the air like a gun, "Show me what you've got so far."

Sasuke pulls out his notebook of secrets and wonders and flips through the numerous doodled pages to a fresh one with words written on it. Have I mentioned Sasuke has pretty handwriting? It was all-neat and perfect and loopy like a girl's. Then there's me. Naruto Chicken Scrawl. It's sad, really, that I'm bumming myself out comparing our styles of writing.

"I came up with a few words last night. And a couple of phrases," he starts to shoot them off routinely, like a soldier would scream if he was told to recite battle plans to his lieutenant, just that he lacked any emotion in his words. "Road, snow, light, regrets, moments, keys, and notes." Oh, those last two were highly original. Way to fucking go, Uchiha.

Kyuubi frowns slightly at the word choices. He was really hard to please because he took what he did with our music seriously. Literally Kyuubi wouldn't let us leave the studio for weeks until we got one sentence down perfectly. It was for his image, mostly, but also because he had the confidence and skill to make a few lines of what could be poetry into the most amazing song to ever hit your ears. I give props where props are definitely due.

"Those sound so… generic. Moments and regrets? Come on kid, some music artist out there already used those themes eons ago. Note and keys we may be able to work with, but I'm not too sure. Let's hear your phrases."

I can tell Sasuke's getting a little irritated from being shot down so quickly because little lines come over his forehead and his eyebrows scrunch up together in this really cu—creepy way. Right. Creepy. It was creepy. "Keys fell from the sky, one by one unlocking the ground and breaking up the earth."

"Intense," I nod in approval, "_And my soul started to shatter the minute our eyes locked, and we knew the notes were warnings that we couldn't control._" My voice was soft, trembling slightly as the words made dreams in my head. A world coming apart at the seams because too many secrets became known between two people and there was just so many gaps that the bridges couldn't repair, things just started to fall.

Sasuke's eyes lit up and he sings off another line right off the bat, "_Can't we go back and fix the wounds we forcibly opened? We tried so hard and we fought so long—_"

"—_Yet it all seems in vain, because our hearts were so blind to the warnings the keys gave and the notes that we played were nothing more but hollow tunes._"

This was how Sasuke and I worked when we started a song. We could be the worst of enemies outside the studio but once we're inside, have a notebook in-between us, the wide gap I thought I'd never be able to cross gets covered by music. We're connected with our music. Our songs have equal amounts of us in it. Sasuke the lyrics, I the sound. We switch off back and forth, batting off lyrics and words and phrases but in the end the songs we make come from our hearts and I get the feeling that… just for a while… Sasuke and I have something that goes way beyond just being a musical group.

We sing off lyrics back and forth, creating a chorus and cranking out bridges like nobody's business. By the time we're done Kyuubi's cackling like a hyena, I'm smiling like an idiot, and even Sasuke has the practicality to let a little grin come onto his face. I like it when he grins.

It's nice.

That one I'll actually admit to.

"That, my little buggers, is what I call music," Kyuubi's grinning like a psycho and leans back in his chair.

"Well obviously! You're working with MAXED-OUT!" I flick my thumb over my nose and shoot him a cocky grin, "You can't expect anything more but our absolute best and beyond!"

"Agreed," Sasuke adds in smoothly, that small smile still playing on his lips. I kind of wonder if that smile's for me… it's probably for the music and the moment and all that jazz but it's not bad to dream a little, huh?

Kyuubi snorted, "Like I had any doubts! So is that going to be our opening and what?"

"I was thinking it would be more for Haru and Silo," Sasuke said.

"I'm digging it," I add in. It works with us. When I think about the lyrics and how we were able to build off each other like that like we knew what the other one was thinking, it's just how Haru and Silo start to become in the drama. They know each other. They become one entity based on hardships and disabilities.

This song… right here… is _our _song.

My heart flutters at that. Stupid thing.

"All right, all right. I can work with that. All right you fuckers, let's get the other characters down and then tackle the opening and closing and close this bastard up!"

"Let's!" fist pump for the win!

Sasuke rolls his eyes at how awesome we are. Because you know, Kyuubi and me are about as awesome as we can get for a psychotic producer and a gorgeous blond. "We'll have to study more on the other character's parts before working on the song. We don't know them as well as we know our own."

"Aw fuck, studying."

"Don't be a slacker, Dobe."

"I'm not a slacker! I was merely voicing my concern."

"Don't."

"Free country, bitch."

"Says who?"

"Says me! Naruto mother fucking boss Uzumaki!"

"I'm sure that's not your real name…"

"Check my damn birth certificate."

"You have one of those? I thought you spawned from a plant underground."

"… I wish to murder you… badly."

Sasuke smirked. Dammit, why is it so sexy when he does that? "Sure. Of course you are. You need me, Dobe. Don't make empty threats."

I wish he wouldn't say that. I wish he wouldn't such a level of truth without even knowing what it did to me. Hell, I can't even explain what it does to me. All I know is that it makes my stomach twist and my heart ache.

Dammit, I need to stop reading that script.

Kyuubi's loud voice comes booming over the studio and I jump about half a foot into the air. "You fuckers better be talking about lyrics and not something that has nothing to do with this shit! I get paid good money to produce, not to pussyfoot!"

Ha…he said pussy.

"Calm down, you old man! Sasuke and I were just talking about how we're gonna work out these songs! No big deal."

"No big deal my ass. We're strapped for time, you bitches, don't make me come over there and strangle you!"

I roll my eyes at his threats but I know if I go any further we could end up very dead, very handsome, j-pop idols. I go for my duffle bag and toss Sasuke a look over my shoulder, "Wanna come with?"

He looks startled, actually, that I have the audacity to ask him to go somewhere with me. Or maybe it's because I'm being civil with him for once and not trying to tear him a new one. Both are very probable assumptions.

"Where?"

Hm. I didn't expect that one.

"Anywhere?" I shrug and hoist up my bag. "Maybe we could go for a run or something. Clear our thoughts and stuff. Then go somewhere to read up the other character's parts." It's what I normally do when I'm stuck on a song. I like running. I get everything out with the sound of my feet hitting solid ground and my labored pants. It just really clears the mind, you know?

Sasuke still looks like I just asked him to have his children, which would be impossible because… well… duh, but after a while he finally comes around and starts to follow me without another word.

Ha. I feel like he's my bitch.

Kyuubi whirls around on us before we even leave the door of the studio, "And where in the hell are you two going?"

"For a run," I reply casually and open the door before giving Sasuke a look. He smirks at me. Oh yeah, he got my single. "See you in a couple of hours, Kyuubi!"

We bolted out of the studio like flying monkeys were trying to eat us. I don't think we even looked back to see if Kyuubi was following us until we made it into the main lobby, panting and heaving like we just ran a marathon.

"That… was… fun," I panted, placing my duffel bag with the secretary with Charisma. She was nice and did me a lot of favors.

Sasuke only smirks back, which is a lot of emotion considering the animosity that's normally between us.

"I suppose."

"That's all you can say? 'I suppose?'" I say the last part in a voice that couldn't possibly match Sasuke's deep and passive one.

That sends Sasuke into a scowl, still sexy but a little more intimidating—barely. "I could go down to one-syllable sentences if you wish."

"No thanks. I like multi-syllable sentences. Makes me feel like I'm talking to a human being and not some robot sent from an alien planet to impregnate me and spawn the destroyer of the world."

Sometimes I wonder where the fuck I come up with this stuff. Seriously. Was I just born a comedian or were my parents hiding their hilarious ways from me all this time and I never knew? Either way I should make a living out of this someday. Sadly, Sasuke can't see my humor because of his prick-like vision and terrible sense of humor. He scowls at me, squints, and shakes his head.

"You're so weird."

Well not shit Sherlock.

"And you're normal?"

"More normal than you are."

"Bull."

"Where's those multi-syllable sentence you love so much?"

"Doesn't matter if I use them. You're the one who needs to work on your socializing, Teme!"

"Only when you fix what little brain you have, Dobe."

"You know what, we're not going to get _anywhere _if we just stand here going back and forth when we know you're too stubborn to admit I'm the winner." I throw my hands in the air to cut him off because we both know I'm dead wrong but that doesn't mean I have to admit it verbally. "So let's go for a run. Clear our heads and get some ideas turning. Then we'll stop by somewhere and swap brains. Kay?"

He nods. "Sure. Let me change, first."

Sasuke runs off towards the elevator and my eyes never leave his back. When he's finally out of eyesight my heart decides it's a good time to kick into overdrive and my brain gets this funny idea that maybe… maybe… this could be a date with Sasuke.

Ha. Yeah. Okay. When fucking ninjas become real.


	10. Running Like Freaks for Music

Guys... thanks so much for your love and support! We've reached 70 reviews! 70! Gah. I'm really happy that I'm updating early... again. YOU GUYS. STOP IT (No. Really Don't stop) I FEEL SO LOVED ;A;. And thanks to everyone who's given me constructive critiscism, praise, added this to their favs & alerts, or just read this in general. I love it guys (:!

**Warning: All right. This is the moment you've all been waiting for. The moment when... a chapter is told in Sasuke's POV (; HA! Tricked you all, didn't I?**

**Disclaimer: Derp. DERP DERP DERP DERP DERP -DIES-**

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><p><strong>Chapter Ten: Running Like Freaks for Music <strong>

We're jogging in place at the corner a couple of blocks away, our identities covered by black beanies and shades; things I picked up on my way back to my room. It was a smart idea. I honestly don't have a clue as to why I agreed to go on a run with him. The notion sounded more like an excuse to skip out on work and goof off, not to get thoughts running around. But deep down I trust Naruto. I know that he'll give me 150% when working on songs and that if this is his method to getting innovation, then who am I to stop him?

"Where to?" I ask, glancing at him from the corner of my eyes. His normally spiky and ridiculously untamed blond hair is flattened underneath the beanie. They spanned out underneath, long enough to tickle his neck.

Naruto shrugged and it looks kind of stupid since he's jogging in place. "Dunno, the park maybe? We could go for a few laps."

"Hn."

The minute the traffic light turns red, the crosswalk sign changes to a walking pedestrian, the citizens of Tokyo became alive and with them Naruto and I dashed through the crowd. We didn't say sorry. Manners were useless. We were just running. Our feet hammered against the concrete. My heart pounded erratically, drumbeats to the rhythm of my feet.

We're racing; sort of. Naruto was in front of me, quick but sure strides to wherever we were running to. I took the lead for a while only to have Naruto stride by me, smirking. Somehow a competition started up between us, but I wasn't that surprised. Naruto always wanted to best me. He couldn't, but he tried. And it was funny to see him get all upset.

I'd never tell him all of this, though.

I doubt we were heading in the direction we ended to. We took so many twists and turns, ducked into alleyways and burst out into streams of lights and different parts of the city. We ran for so long our legs began to give out by the time we reached an arcade far away from the studio. Naruto was the first to collapse, crashing against the display window. I followed suit, easing myself on my haunches and welcoming all the air I could get.

I haven't run like that in a while, and I don't think I want to do it again.

But maybe if I'm with the Dobe I'll get myself to do it.

Maybe.

Or not.

Now I'm rambling.

Naruto opened up one of his eyes and smirked at my lazily, "I so totally beat you."

I smirk right back. Since I'm the professional smirker in this group, I have my science down to the grain and could do a perfect smirk no matter how I'm feeling. "You were a mile behind me."

"Not even! I was totally tearing it up out there! You were the one running like a fucking turtle," he squints his eyes at me and pouts. It's kind of… nice. I'd prefer him to be smiling rather than bitching but I've decided I think it's… nice when he pouts too.

Right. Nice. That's the four-letter word I'm looking for.

I roll my eyes at him. Sometimes he's such a child, but I guess that's how we work. I'm calm he's vibrant. He's all bright and I'm all dark. Though I'll never truly comprehend why he views the latter sentence the other way around… "Right. I saw you ready to die back there. Don't think you're smooth."

"I'm smooth like butter," and just because he could he licked his lips suggestively. My stomach turned in what I think is disgust but it burns too much to make me think of sickness rather than… something else. I'd rather not think about something else. It would make things too complicated.

Glaring, I stand up and stretch out the kinks and knot that have drilled into my body. "Keep telling yourself that, Dobe."

"I do every night, Teme."

"Fascinating. Now our song?"

"We're getting there… Soda?" he motions over to a nearby vending machine and I nod. Might as well.

He saunters off and I'm left alone for a few minutes. He'll probably stand by the machine and debate what soda to give me. He's always like that, thinking of others no matter how much he comes off as despising them. Naruto has made it obvious he doesn't like me. I don't do any better when hiding my disdain for him. Some days, though, I feel like it's all an act. What we have—whatever it is. Sometimes I feel as if we're just pretending to hate each other. Sure, we have quirks that set the other person off like fireworks but I can't say with certainty that I hate him...

I just can't bring myself to act normal around him.

"Here," Naruto chucked the can and I caught it effortlessly. The metal was cool to the touch, chilling the ends of my fingers. "I didn't know what flavor to get so I thought of you and went: 'Oh, Sasuke seems like a cherry Coke' sooo…"

See what I mean?

Really, his thoughtfulness for others makes me disgusted—to an extent. Only because I can never understand where he gathers up such a high level of compassion. I can be civil. I'm deemed number one on the top of chivalry based off of Tokyo's opinions despite my infamous reputation as a womanizer. But if I hold a grudge you better believe I'm keeping that grudge until revenge is served.

That's not how Naruto works, though. He's kind to everyone regardless of how badly you treat him.

I pop open the can and take a sip. I'm not going to lie, I do prefer Cherry Coke as one of my favorite beverages. The syrupy taste mixed in with the carbohydrate bubbles give me a big rush of adrenaline. Out of the corner of my eye I see Naruto chug about half of his 7-Up before pulling the can away from his lips and sighing loudly.

"Damn I love me some 7-Up," and then he burped. Loudly.

I shot him a disgusted glance. "Manners, Dobe, do you know them?"

"Fuck off, Sasuke, do you understand?"

And once again we're caught in a stalemate where both of us are just waiting to fire back insults without any shame. We could go on all day, I should know, it's happened on more than one occasion. Sadly, we can't waste all day glaring and shooting off insults. We have a song to come up with—multiple songs, actually, and if we stand out here and do nothing we're not going to get anywhere.

Since I'm obviously the more mature one out of the group, I finish off my soda and chuck it in the nearest trashcan. "Unlike you, I don't like to waste time. We can sit around and bicker all day but we have songs to come up with. I hope you thought of something while you ran because if this was just an excuse to screw around I'm personally castrating you."

Naruto rolls his eyes at me, finishes off his drink, and throws it away. When he comes back he's looking rather cross mixed with an ounce of offense. Wimp. "I may not take a lot of things seriously, but when it comes to music I don't bullshit around. Pop a squat and let's get this thing over with."

So in the middle of a sidewalk outside of a gaming arcade Naruto and I are sitting Indian style divided by a line in the sidewalk. He pulls out his cellphone and opens up a memo, typing down all the words and phrases he came up with on his run. I do the same almost automatically and for the next two or three minutes we're just typing away.

I thought of a lot when I was on my run, surprisingly. It was a great way to clear my thoughts and just... focus. _Notes & Keys _was all about three pairs of guys all struggling with internal or external battles. They try to find themselves, the reason for love, their purpose in life, whatever it is, and those couples have to fight against those themes. So our opening song has to somehow reflect all the challenges and hardships that comes to you once you finally fall in love...

"_To think one day I would fall for you. It was sunny then, and boy was the sky blue..." _Naruto shoots me a cheeky smile, a smile I actually find myself liking... Ugh. His voice is soft and mellow, smooth like ice.

I actually liked his voice, too.

"_Life seems to throw things my way, and everything that came reminded me of you." _I never understood how we could be so chaotic in our normal routine but when it's just the two of us and our music... we click. We become synchronized and it's almost effortless to

see which direction Naruto takes in his lyrics. I guess it's in his voice, or just the words he uses...

Or maybe it's because I know him better than I'd like to believe.

"_I don't know what to do. I lie alone at nights and you're always on my mind."_

"_How long can this continue? Why must I wait for you to be in your arms?"_

"_I can't explain these feelings, oh no, I can't. I need you here with me, baby, but dear I'm so weak."_

"_I'm carrying a heart loaded with scars."_

"_I'm holding a mind torn with memories."_

"_The pain of it all makes me think I'll drown..."_

"_But then I look at you..."_ Naruto's blue eyes soften as he locks gazes with me. In that instant it's just me and him, nothing else matters. We're locked in a world where we're just two people bearing loads that we don't want the other to see. My heart does something really weird and it kicks up a few notches when Naruto's face leans closer to mine... _"All I want to do is lay my words out to you."_

"_Maybe you can be what I need... and maybe I can be what you need..." _We're too close. Way too close. We shouldn't be this close. But... I'm not moving away... what the hell?

Naruto's eyes flutter shut almost, his lips puckered as the last verse comes tumbling out of his mouth, _"And maybe... just maybe... I could be in love." _

Thunder hits me after those last words and they send me standing up abruptly, turning around so he doesn't see the awkward blush on my face. I don't even know why I'm blushing! I don't have a reason! We're just conversing lyrics, we've done this a million times. We've written so many love songs I bet we could Shakespeare to shame. So why in the world am I so flustered? Why is my heart being so idiotically loud? Why... Why... Why...

"You okay, Teme?"

Naruto's voice shatter my thoughts, brings me back to the real world. When I turn around he's giving me a weird, almost undecipherable look. I hate when he gets like that. I can't get a read on him and I feel like my leverage breaks.

Mask... I need a mask on. I slip on a smirk—my usual smirk. The holier than thou smirk—and offer him a hand, "I'm just shocked, as all."

"Over?" he takes my hand without another word and I'm going to blatantly ignore the tingle shooting up my arm.

"Your ability to be so insightful when it comes to lyrics but idiotic when it comes to life."

"I could say the same for you! You act like such a gentleman when you sing but in real life you're nothing more but a prickly whore!"

I frowned, "I'm not a whore."

"Tell that to your list of female contacts in your phone, asswipe." he deadpanned.

All right. So I have a lot of numbers. Doesn't mean I've slept around with _all _of them. Just... a majority of them.

"They're friends," I lie right through my teeth. I don't care for any of them, to be honest.

Something flashes in his eyes but I can't tell what it is. I don't think I want to know either. "Right. Sure. Do you even have such things?"

I glare at him some more. No, I don't have friends. The only person I truly consider such a thing would be Itachi. Everyone else is either stepping blocks or insignificant shadows I cross by. They don't matter. I don't make them matter. And that's how my life has been for the past eighteen years.

Then there's Naruto... when I crossed his shadow something changed. I'm not going to go as far to say I like him, or that I care, or that he's a friend but he's... different.

And that... scares me.

He seems to look a little regretful with his words and he starts to open his mouth in an attempt of an apology—I can see the words forming on his lip—but I cut him off. I don't want to hear a worthless apology. He meant what he said and I'm not bothered by it...

Much.

"Kyuubi's going to skin our asses if we don't head back soon," changing the subject, good. I start to backpedal, challenging Naruto with my eyes.

He deflates slightly, but he never was one to back done from a challenge. He sprints ahead of me and stands at the corner, jogging in place. "First one there is a dead man."

"Loser..." I mutter under my breath, but I can't help but smirk as I chase after him.

This is how things should be, a competition always going on between us. We should stay as rivals using the other to become and grow better. We shouldn't strive for something more because nothing's there... We're just a unit. A j-pop group. And to want anything else is ridiculous... so ridiculous...

If it's so ridiculous... why am I not convinced yet?


	11. I'd Feel Better If You Lied To Me

My feet smell really bad o.o. Like. It's terrible ;A; DAMN YOU SOCCER PRACTICE. DAMN YOU. (I still wanna write oneshots DX. CURSE MY OVERACTIVE IMAGINATION!) So I'm really glad everyone liked Sasuke's view on things c; Pretty interesting, huh? NO? IT WASN'T? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-Joke. Anywho. While I suffer from my smelly feet, onto the warning.

**Warning: Is this a filller... could it be a fiiillllerrrrr might it be a filllleeeerrr? LOL IDK. BUT IT'S BACK TO OUR LOVELY NARUTO'S POV. **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but my Whales. They're delicious.**

I speak whale fluently (;

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><p><strong>Chapter Eleven: I'd Feel Better If You Lied To Me<strong>

I hate those nights when you fall asleep but a couple of hours later you wake up for no reason at all and you can't get back to sleep. The darkness comes alive and you get antsy about every little thing; a noise, a flicker of movement, whatever. That's how I feel because of this damn nightmare about the past and it's freaking annoying! I twist and turn in my bed but dammit; it's not doing anything but making me more awake.

"Screw this," kicking the covers off, I throw my feet over the bed and stretch. Face it, Uzumaki; your blissful land of dreams involving you and one million bowls of ramen is over. I was getting to the good part of my bowls, too!

I can see Sasuke's sleeping form under his obnoxiously big blue comforter. He's drowning in it. I wonder what it'd be like to cuddle up with him… you know, just out of curiosity and not because I could actually have feelings for him. Surely anyone would wonder what it's like to cuddle up with a random person they just happen to room with.

Right?

Hell yes, I'm right.

Wanna hear a story? When I used to live in this rundown apartment in the not-so-nice area of Tokyo I'd get really bad night terrors. I don't even know why. Maybe because I had a terrible eating diet, who knows. I'd just get them. And they'd be terrible. I'd wake up screaming and panting and everything was scary. I had to turn on the TV and put it on a low volume—my walls were really thin and my neighbors were pricks—before I could even think about going back to sleep again.

I can't do that now. I tried to once but Sasuke woke up and barked at me. Like… literally growling at me with insane dog eyes—the works. It was mad scary. I'm really tempted to just go over there and wake him up now, or become a creeper and sneak my way in. That won't go over well, but it would be nice.

Really nice.

Extremely nice.

God, I sound like a creeper in my own mind.

"_You can't sway me. I'm like a might skyscraper extending to the sky," _I found that instead of turning on a TV or leaving on the lights, singing was an excellent escape from my fear. Hearing my voice, singing random lyrics filled with comfort and encouragement, I was able to lull myself to sleep or, at the very least, calm me down. _"Fireworks explode and I'm brighter than ever, stronger than ever, living forever."_

I lie back down, curl up in a ball facing the wall, and take a staggering breath. _"And I could take on all the seven seas with one single ship because I'm absolutely invincible."_

A few minutes later and I was out like a light.

+MAXED-OUT+

"Naruto… you're drooling."

"Whaaa?" I looked up from my plate of waffles and sausages to give my mom what had to be the most idiotic look even _I _could muster. And that's saying a damn lot. "Oh. Am I? Well it's because your cooking is so freaking delicious I have to drool!"

Iruka chuckled and playfully rolled his eyes, "Your flattery pleases me, but your drooling does not. Shut your mouth and eat your breakfast, boy."

"I am enjoying it!"

"Acting like a dog again, Dobe?" Sasuke finally graces us with his wonder—not needed presence decked out in his spiffy blue tan blazer, blue shirt, and black pants. I really like that blazer on him, and before you guys start to make assumptions let me just say it's perfectly normal to like something on a person! Like, I love it when Gaara wears green because it makes him look really cute.

See? _Normal._

I throw him a smirk and lick my lips, "Only if you're bringing out the leash, Teme." Did I really just say that? Really? I must be fucked out of my mind because I'm supposed to snap at Sasuke, not do some flirty quip that could possibly develop some romantic sub-plot.

Damn you, Uzumaki, why can't you follow the damn text?

Sasuke doesn't even seem bothered. Instead he scowls at me and scuffs me in the back of my head. Ouch! That fucker! "Do you ever think before you speak?"

"I don't know. Is that a hypothetical question or…?"

"Can I have a new roommate?" Sasuke raises his hand like we're in school and sends Iruka a pleading look. Hey! I'm the perfect roommate!

"It's not my fault you're a soulless prick!" I shoot back. "If anyone wants a new roommate, it should be me!"

He snorted, "Sure. Because I'm definitely the problem."

I lean back and grin slyly, "Well if you're finally ready to admit it…"

"That's enough out of you two," Iruka cuts in, placing Sasuke's breakfast underneath his nose. He shoots us both a warning look that clearly states if we utter one more insulting banter it would be off with our heads! Off with them, I say! Off! "I don't get paid to watch you bicker. I get paid to stuff your bellies, clean up after your messes, and make sure you're not dying by the wayside."

Hey! Why is he pointing this all towards me? I'm perfectly capable of living by myself! Kind of… Okay, there was this one time with the lawnmower but I swear it was an accident! I didn't even know it was there!

Sasuke and I turn breakfast into a competition somehow, some way. It started with me taking a long bite of my waffle and him giving me this awkward look I can't even describe. Then he took a bite of his sausage so I had to take a bite of my sausage. And then we just started to mock each other with how we ate until it turned into a whole out war. I don't even know, it just happened. And by the end of it all Iruka was threatening to have our asses hung over the fireplace if we weren't out of his dining room in the next five minutes.

Needless to say Sasuke and I hauled some major ass out the door.

Now let's get on to the Hummer ride. It's not a car. It's a Hummer, a freaking beast. Rawr. As per usual I sat reigned on one side and Sasuke happened to conquer another side and our ride was mildly awkward save the occasional jab at someone's self esteem.

"Those pants make you look fat." Ha, one for me!

"Your jokes make you look stupid." Damn, ten for him.

Our driver gives us both funny looks and I know he's _dying _to say something. I see it in his eyes. He has the eyes of a wisecracker. Thank God he doesn't say anything because I don't know how I would have been able to handle that awkward development. Instead he casts his eyes over my way and winks.

Winks.

At me.

Oh my God he knows everything…

The drive is a freaking long one and I forgot to pack my Nintendo DS today. Fuck. I wanted to level up my Glaceon but nooo… nooo… I had to forget my DS. Life sucks. My phone was also hanging on the thin balance of life and death right now and was currently on life support (aka the charger) until further notice. So I thought: _'Hey, why not sing a song?' _Who would have thought the same song I sang lost night would be coming out my lips again.

"_Cracking knuckles and firing guns, the world's gonna crash but I'll survive. You're not gonna sway me. I'm like a mighty skyscraper extending high in the sky, Oh." _

"_Overcome_."

That single word cuts me off from my next verse. I look at Sasuke incredulously. Did he seriously just speak to me like that? I don't mean to sound high and mighty but normally when I sing the car he's either telling me to shut up or scowling me away to oblivion. His whispered voice wasn't supposed to break my singing. He was supposed to ignore me, my existence, and let me do my own thing.

He wasn't allowed to make my heart feel like it was going to explode. No way, no how. He should _not _be allowed to do that at all!

"Yeah…" c'mon, Uzumaki, play it cool. "What about it?"

He looks at me; _really _looks at me. And for a single, stupid minute I feel like he's tearing into me with a single gaze—like he actually, truly cares for me. But let's get real here. This is Sasuke _Uchiha_. We _hate _each other. We have nothing in common other than bitter pasts that somehow lead to us living and breathing the music industry. Other than that we're too separate people on opposite ends of the spectrum. We can't have moments. We can't be close. I can't have him…

"Last night…" oh God, my heart just gave out. "You were singing the same song."

Oh. Holy. Shit. No, no, no. _No. _Sasuke was supposed to be oblivious! He's not supposed to realize my weaker moments. It's not allowed! There is a freaking rulebook written up in the heavens clearly stating that Sasuke Uchiha should not know the dealings of Naruto Uzumaki and his insecurities! I swear there's one! So Sasuke needs to be cold and calculating and brutally honest and puppy stomper and not look at me with onyx eyes I'm failing at staying a float in, neither should he make me want to run into his arms and never leave.

This is so not fair. Damn it all.

I refuse to look at him. I won't do it! He won't see me deal with my awkward emotions. Nope! Not happening! "Late nights are always a good time for a song."

"But that song?"

"What's wrong with _Overcome_? It was number one on the charts for like, months."

True story.

Sasuke shakes his head and scoots closer. That's one foot of space gone between us. Oh my God he's one foot away from grabbing my hand. I'm sweating already.

"True but… you wrote it a week after we came back from America."

Is he connecting dots?

I shrug carelessly, "Jealous one of my songs got in the top hits and yours didn't?" That's right, Naruto. Play dumb and cruel, it's your only way out from falling too hard and landing on your face.

Sasuke glares at me, literally like a guard dog going in for the kill, and scowls. "You're being stupid on purpose. Don't belittle me."

"I'm just asking a question, Uchiha."

"You're also being defensive."

"Am not!"

"If you're still not over America, why don't you go to someone about it? Kyuubi, Jiraiya, your friends at school…"

I don't know why I leaned forward then, probably because his voice started to lead off like he was going to list someone else… someone who could most likely be him. Sasuke Uchiha.

This can't be real.

"Don't get me wrong, if something monumental happened those would probably be the first people I go to," and I'd go to you, but I won't tell you that because I know I wouldn't get any comfort.

"Is what happened in America not monumental?"

I narrow my eyes. "I plan to make it as minimal of an issue as possible."

Sasuke sighed, rolled his eyes, and I think he scooted even closer. Our hands are even closer now. "Look me in the eyes, then, and tell me that you're over America."

"I don't have anything to prove to you, Uchiha!" I sniff and turn my nose towards the mirror. I'm sick and tired of this whole America business. I thought that since the issue hasn't been brought up in a long while, I could move on. But last night I woke up from that stupid dream and today Sasuke's questioning me and it's just… I just don't need this.

"Naruto," shit, the first name, "you're my partner. And whether you believe me or not I do… care."

No… no please… please don't say that. Please, please, please.

I give him a look out of the corner of my eye, "Is that so?"

Sasuke fixes his eyes on me and I think he wanted to say more but he just shakes his head, sighs again, and moves back to his spot near the window. "Take it as you like."

And just like that the gap comes back again and this really huge divide I don't know if I can ever cross separates us. My heart's hammering and I'm pretty sure I'm sweating through my sweater.

Seriously… why did he have to go and say that? Why couldn't he just lie and say he didn't give a damn?

It would make this falling for him business go cold.

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><p>WHAT IS WRONG WITH AMERICA OTHER THAN THE OBVIOUS?<p>

TELL US NARUTO!

TELL US!

-NARUTO RUNS AWAY-

EVERYONE! AFTER HIM!


	12. Love? Sounds French

I was going to make this short, I really was. But I was like, writing up a storm in between class periods and I could _not _simply cut this short at some awkward point that would only make sense to me and the unicorns! So you get this lovely dosage of SasuNaru c; THERE'S FLUFF, GUYS. FLUFF. SO MUCH FLUFF YOU'LL ALL WANT TO SMOTHER ME IN IT UNTIL I UPDATE AGAIN...

But don't kill me with the snuff. That would just be inconvenient.

YUS! YUS! 100 REVIEWS GUYS! I'M SO HAPPY! THANK YOU ONE AND ALL FOR REVIEWING AND SHOWING LOVE AND SUPPORT! GUYS! SERIOUSLY. YOU MAKE MY DAY.

**Warning: Ummah. Be prepared for Naruto and Sasuke and Nigel's ridiculous ways.**

**Disclaimer: I wrote this chapter while listening to U-KISS Forbidden Love (; THEN I FOUND OUT ELI HAD A TUMBLR FROM TUMBLR AND I LITERALLY TYPED "ELI HAS A TUMBLR?" IN ALL CAPS IN GOOGLE BECAUSE I WAS SO EXCITED. And then I laughed about it... for two minutes. God I'm so hilarious. (This isn't even a disclaimer. WTH, FALLEN ;A;).**

U-Kiss and SHINee guys, you can't go wrong (;

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Twelve: Love? Sounds French<strong>

"Your hands are really soft."

"Comes from years of playing, I suppose."

Silo smirked and playfully pulled my hand to the front of his crotch, "I bet their good for other things as well, eh?"

The blush that came on my face couldn't even be considered an act. Damn, I probably have recessive acting genes and they only decide to show up when I'm embarrassed out of my mind. Great, that's just freaking great.

I smile shakily and pull my hand out of Silo's grasp as planned. "I'm sure they could, but today's not the day to find those things out."

We're sitting at my baby grand piano. The sun's streaming through my white satin curtains and a light breeze tickle our faces. Silo situated himself so his chest was pressed to my back and his hands were placed on top of my poised ones. I can feel his heartbeat through his thin, white button up shirt he told me he was wearing. That's the most casual he's been around me.

"When's that day coming, Ru?" he whispered into my ear.

I leaned my head back against his shoulder and grinned, "Once you've mastered _Flight of the Bumblebee_, then it could come sooner."

"Could?" he pouted.

I smirked, "Fine. Possibly."

"Tch," hot lips pressed themselves against my exposed neck and lingered there for one... two... three seconds before pulling back. I could practically hear the smirk crawling onto his face. "It'll take me a year just to get through the first line of music."

"Then it's a good thing you have a prodigy for a teacher, hm?"

"Extremely good," Silo purred. "Can I at least get a kiss, oh prodigy of mine?"

My heart thumped loudly in my chest. Fuck. I was being so calm before too! And this was just one of the many kisses we'd be sharing on set... so calm down, Uzumaki. Stay with Haru and get through the scene. "Well... I suppose one kiss for motivation wouldn't hurt."

"Motivation," Silo curled his lips upwards—dammit, I loved it when he did that—and moved his face even closer until our noses were touching and our breaths mingled together. "That's what you'd call it."

"Anddddd cut! Cut! Cut! Cut!" Nigel shouted and my illusion of a perfect world where Sasuke and I were together faded. Just like that. I wanted to murder that man.

Jiraiya—either my life savior or my death—shot Nigel a glare. "You can't just cut them in the middle of their big moment!" Thank you, Jiraiya! You're off my kill list for the week!

"Pish, posh, Jira." Oh my God, he just called Jiraiya the forbidden word. He's going to die now. Nigel waved his hand flippantly and made his way over to Sasuke and me who had, sadly, broken apart and stood on opposite ends of the piano. "Boys, I have a question for you! A big question! Answer me truthfully, kay?"

"Umm... shoot?" I feel like I'm going to hate this question.

"Have you boys ever been in _looooove _before?"

I don't know what was scarier: The way Nigel's eyes turned into hearts after he said _looooove _or the fact that he asked us really personal questions. Okay, so it probably wasn't even that person (by Nigel's standards) but it was definitely unexpected. How are we supposed to take this? Is he saying our acting is so fake that even a child could see through us? Mental breakdown is coming forth from all these questions!

Sasuke—ever the quick one—was the first to break out of our stupor. "Pardon?" Great, he's as clueless as I am...

Nigel smiled and started to dance around the set like the madman that he was. "Love, my dearest Raven! The essence, the magic that keeps our hearts beating and our lives youthful! Love, love, love!" Right, we got you the first time you said that four-letter word. We don't need to hear it _again_. "I'm asking you two if you've ever been in love! Has your heart been shot out of the sky just from looking in their direction? Are your dreams captured and tormented with fantasies of you and your soul mate embracing? Does your heart nearly _die _just from hearing their name?"

Yes. Yes. Yes. Hell yes, it does. I'm just standing here, silent, heart pattering because Nigel's blatantly put out there everything I felt whenever I thought of he who shall not be named... Screw it. I'll say his name.

Sasuke Uchiha. My body gets like that—heart nearly dying and getting shot out of the sky, my mind being attacked with fantasies and ideas—all because of Sasuke Uchiha.

And I can't do a damn thing about it because Sasuke more or less hates me—or at the very least only sees me at a business partner stand point. He did tell me he cared a few days ago in the Hummer... and I guess that could mean something, but I've been convincing myself for a while that Sasuke's hated me so it's really hard to switch to that positive way of thinking, you know?

Anyways, Nigel's staring at both of us with sick expectancy but neither of us is willing to budge. I know why I'm not willing to speak up, but Sasuke? Normally this sort of question wouldn't even faze him. He'd answer it flippantly like he always does with the most vague words to use at his disposal.

Now, I'm not going to brag and say I'm an expert on Sasuke Psychology but I've lived with him long enough to notice when something has hit it's mark—and hard.

"Well... Nigel-san..." My voice starts to shake a little and my eyes want nothing more than to connect with Sasuke so my message is clear. But I don't want it to be clear. All these emotions are so confusing. "Um... I'm sort of—"

"I've been in love before."

One sentence had the power to make the room turn cold and quiet. My heart squeezed painfully in my chest towards Sasuke's confession. This time I let myself look at him through the corner of my eyes. His face was as expressionless as always but I _knew _him. I saw it in his eyes. There was pain. A small amount of it yet it was still there.

Nigel's head grew three times its normal size this day. "Yes! Yes! And what did it feel like? Explaaaaaiin your feelings!"

Sasuke took a hard swallow. I could practically hear it reverberating through my ears. "It was… terrifying."

Terrifying? That's not normally what someone would say about love, right? I mean, I know there are instances where your heart was broken so much that you fear to fall again but to call that terrifying? I looked over at Sasuke, truly looked at him, and I could practically see his heart grieving over what could be nightmares…

I wanted to hold him in my arms and kiss all his fears away.

Instead, I chickened out and did what any normal partner would do and placed a hand on his arm. I ignored his involuntary flinch. I didn't even look at him even though I could feel his heated gaze on me. Remain calm, Uzumaki. This is platonic, purely platonic. A simple show of support and nothing more…

I'm such a liar.

"Would you ever want to fall in love again?" Nigel asked in a less obnoxious tone (something I didn't think he was even possible of).

Sasuke looked from my hand, to me, and then to Nigel. The expression on his face… a shadow skimming his eyes, those onyx orbs I liked so much dulling to a mucky gray, a grim smile on his face… my heart broke. "No. I don't think I will."

My heart cracked. Pieces started to decay one by one and my grip on Sasuke's arm tightened slightly. I bit my lip from saying anything that could give away my feelings. Pretty much it's a given that I have no chance with Sasuke or at least, not in the way I _want _to have a chance with him. I'll admit it now. I have feelings for Sasuke—I probably always did. I just don't like admitting it (shocker). And now I've been inadvertently slapped in the face with the cold hard truth.

Sasuke Uchiha is forever off limits.

Nigel is on the verge of tears while Jiraiya is shooting me pitying looks. Fuck off, Jiraiya; I love you but just… not now… When I pull my hand away from Sasuke's arm I can feel him glancing at me but I still ignore his gaze.

If we locked eyes I would have broken down right there and then.

Nigel pulled out a little purple hankie he keeps around and dabbed his eyes dramatically. "Tortured love! Oh the tragedy of it all… I am terribly sorry, Raven."

"Don't be," don't shrug it off like you don't even care.

Nigel blows his nose and then turns towards me. Oh shit. Here we go. "And you, Kit?"

I scratch the back of my head awkwardly. "Well… I can't say I _have _been in love, because I honestly don't know. But… um… I do sort of… have someone… on my mind." I finish the rest of my sentence with my eyes glued to the floor and a blush creeping up my neck.

Way to play it cool, Uzumaki.

I look up in time to see Sasuke gazing off into no man's land and Nigel bouncing around on some new energy he must of scrounge up after he finished pitying us.

"What precious jewels I have found!" he exclaimed. "A love tainted and abused compared to the novice and innocent notions of the heart! Such wide spectrums! Such a chilling effect! This…" he turned to us and I think a part of me died right then. "This is the inspiration I've been waiting for! The next bump on the step towards a killer hit! Raven, Kit, lend me your ears!"

"You've had them for the past five minutes, Nigel-san." I mutter.

However, Nigel still beckoned us over with his haphazardly flopping hands. Sasuke and I merely glanced at one another until we both took simultaneous steps towards our whack job of a director.

"My dearest boys, I have a mission for you! Only if you choose to accept! And let me remind you objection is never an option!" he crouched down and we kind of stood there awkwardly until we got on our knees with him. "I want you two… Raven—cold exterior but heartthrob of Japan—and Kit—hyperactive and loving blond for the world—to find your _agápe_!"

"Bless you?" My eyebrow shot to my hairline. I know Nigel is crazy but to make up words on the spot?

Wait… should I really be that surprised?

"Thank you! I appreciate your blessings, Kit! But allow me to explain, allow me to explain! _Agápe_ is Greek and comes from a different form of love; a selfless, completely devoted variation to the ever rainbow spectrum of love! So I want you two, Kit, Raven, my beauties, to find your _agápe. _Find someone who can fill in the holes left on the ends of the ropes!"

It took a while for us to actually process what Nigel told us. In conclusion, I could calmly come up with the fact that Nigel was telling us flamboyantly to go out and find love… A selfless, completely devoted love—our _agápe. _And honestly, I'm a little mad. I'm all up for going out there and finding your creative muse of inspiration but to tell someone they have to fall in love? You can't force feelings on people and you certainly can't force them to grow feelings!

Not when your feelings are already so turbulent around one certain raven that you're fairly certain you're either falling for him fast or your face has already hit the pavement and the pain hasn't registered yet.

"Nigel," Jiraiya took a warning step forward and rested his hand on Nigel's shoulder. Yes. Talk some sense into this loony! "I understand your need for artistic inspiration but isn't this going a far bit… extreme?" Yes! Preach it! "You can't expect Raven and Kit to simply go out there and pick whomever they wish to fraternize with. Think of the consequences!"

"Oh, see here! I have been thinking, Jira! Oh I have! I've been thinking about this for many moons and many sunrises!" Nigel jumped up from his crouched position and started to tap dance around the set. I am not kidding… he tap-danced. It was maddening. "I don't want my little beauties to fall in love with normal everyday people on the streets! The controversy would be extravagantly unneeded. Fun," he added with a point to Jiraya's nose, "but not needed. So I've devised a little plan, so to speak."

"A plan?" Sasuke's voice was rigid and crisp. That was his angry voice. His angry voice always made me shrink a little.

"Yes!" Nigel's eyes sparkled like mine do when I stare at mountains of ramen for my birthday. "Raven, Kit, I want you two to get close… very close—as close as humanely possible until your hearts intertwine and your minds are forever connected! Do not just fall in love with just Haru and Silo! Fall for the actor, the person behind the script and the words!"

I think the whole room dropped about thirty degrees after that. My heart certainly froze over. I was full convinced Nigel had fallen off his damn rocker and was now scratching his butt all around the rug. He wasn't joking, you could tell it in his face. He literally wanted us to fall for one another! Granted, I'm already half way there but Sasuke? Teme already admitted to being in love once and _hating _it. Why would he try his chance again with someone like me? Someone who does nothing but irritate him and annoy him couldn't possibly be the one he thinks about day in and day out…

I can't be. And it kills me. And it irks me to think that Nigel could be so pigheaded to even assume that he could force something that I've wanted for _months _now to happen. My blood is beginning to boil. I clench and unclench my fists. For the first time in a year I'm getting the urge to go over there and snap Nigel's neck in half.

"Seguchi-san… I love your enthusiasm. I really do but your selfish ways? I can't respect that at all." I don't know how I'm keeping my voice so calmed and level. I thought it'd be cracking by now from sadness and overwhelming anger. "You can't force to people to love each other! Not like this! Raven and I can find another way to get into this emotion and it won't be through cheap and absolutely manipulative methods like this. Now, if you wouldn't mind—even though I wouldn't care—I'm done for the day. Have a nice night."

I turned around on my heel and marched right out of that studio, never looking back. The thoughts hit me like anchors, weighing me down the realization that I could be jeopardizing my work and career—and I was. But I didn't care. My heart was aching and bleeding and crying out for release. Release… release… I need release…

Shakily, I shoved my hands in my pocket, pulled out my cell phone, and dialed speed number one.

"_Hello." _Gaara never added a questioning tone when he answered me anymore. It was always a statement. And I kind of liked that.

"Hey buddy… I kind of need some heavy tension relief…" I looked at my watch, a quarter to four. Club Cosmos would be closed now but Pein lived on a private apartment complex right above the club. He'd be there. "Meet me at Pein's house in like… fifteen minutes?"

"_I'll be there in ten." _And then the line cut off.

That's also something I like about Gaara. He doesn't question me.

Now I'll just have to call Kiba… who does nothing _but _question me.

Gotta love friends.

+MAXED-OUT+

Three cups of hot chocolate and two hours later and I felt rather stress-free. Pein, Gaara, and Kiba all shared their thoughts and opinions about how much of a whack job Nigel was and more than once a couple of death threats were thrown into the pile.

"Lunatics like him should die a slow death," Gaara added in listlessly, playing around with a chocolate stick of pocky. "Say the word and he's gone."

He wasn't bluffing either.

"Dude! I've got connections!" Kiba added in. "I can get that guy out of showbiz faster than you can rap." Have I mentioned I'm a pretty beast rapper? I learned from the best Killer Bee while I was in the country that shall not be named and it sort of became one of my many redeeming qualities.

Pein was ever the calm and levelheaded one of the group and cut Gaara and Kiba's ideas short. "Fascinating, and very tempting, but no. Naruto, I understand the reason for your outburst but tomorrow morning after you're done mulling you will go back there and apologize to Nigel. And then you'll try to reason with him. Understood?"

"Fucking crystal," I muttered. My chin was making love to Pein's coffee table and it felt mighty awkward to talk like this.

"Are you shitting me, Pein? Naruto shouldn't apologize for Nigel's stupidity! The man already knew about Uchiha's fucked up love life! And he sure as hell isn't aware of Naruto's feelings so he's in the wrong! If anything Nigel should be the one on his hands on knees kissing feet!"

And this is why I love Kiba. His flair of dramatics always seems to be on my side for everything.

"For once I agree with the mutt," Gaara admitted.

I take another sip of my hot chocolate and mull over everything. I had two-thirds of the vote saying I should go in there and beg for forgiveness, and one-third saying I should suck it all up, apologize, and get back to work. The devil on my shoulder was obviously rooting for the two-thirds but I have my pride, and an angel on my shoulder, willing me to go with Pein. He was sensible and older and knew a lot about handling with others. I trusted his opinion, just like I trusted Gaara's and Kiba's opinions… when they weren't being so hotheaded.

"Pein…" one more sip of this hot chocolate so I know I'm not that insane, "you know I hate it when you sound sensible. Makes me all… compassionate."

Pein just smirked and clocked me on the head, that orange-haired loving prick. "Naruto, you were always compassionate. Don't try to lie."

"True story," Kiba hoisted his cup in the air and Gaara happened to follow suit.

Damn. Now I can't portray the bad boy blow up look I was aiming for. What a shame.

I'm about to open my mouth to protest like I normally would but I was cut off by a vibration in my pants. It was most likely from either Jiraiya or Kyuubi, both wanting to skin my ass for my behavior. Only when I pulled out my phone… it was Sasuke.

Sasuke Uchiha. Texting me. Oh dear.

"Naruto?" Gaara shot me a confused look, probably because I was frozen with fear and shock and so much other gunk I could barely function, and rested a hand on my knee. "Everything alright."

_**From Teme: **__We need to talk. I'll be waiting in our room. _

"Y-Yeah… I'm okay." Slipping my phone back into my pocket I jump up from the group and nearly bolt to the door. "Just got a text saying I need to head back to the Penthouse or else I'll forever be walking like a gimp! Pray for me guys!"

"May the odds be ever in your favor, bro!" Kiba giggled like what he said was some hilarious gift from God. Um. No. I've heard that numerous times all over the place. But I applaud you for quotation placement.

+MAXED-OUT+

When I entered my room, I kind of felt like I was in one of those gangsta movies where the thug enters his bosses throne room and all you see is the back of the King Ping's chair. Only Sasuke gave me his full frontal view showing me all of… nothing. He wore his normal expressionless mask, which I shouldn't be surprised about, but somehow it makes the hammering in my chest increase ten-fold.

"You texted?" act casual, Uzumaki. Make it seem like what happened today does not affect you. Play it chill like an ice cube.

"Hn." Dammit, one word syllables. He's beyond pissed.

I sighed for what had to be the millionth time tonight and slowly made my way to my bed. Sasuke was sitting on his chair at his little work desk, eyes following me all the way. "If you want to bitch at me for earlier, go ahead, but I don't feel sorry. Nigel was out of line."

Sasuke actually smirked, albeit a small one. Maybe he heard what Jiraiya was planning to do to me and was laughing over my emanate death. "That wasn't on my mind considering I was going to do the same thing. You were just louder."

"O-Oh…" that was definitely unexpected. Way to throw me for the fucking loop, Uchiha. "So… um…"

"I actually wanted to ask you something."

My eyes shot up at that. This one of the first times Sasuke actually showed… interest… in me. My heart was on the verge of collapsing again. His eyes looked so sincere and… stuff. I can't explain it, but at that moment I felt like we could stay up all night simply spilling out our secrets to one another.

"Lay it on me then."

"Earlier you said you have someone in mind but you're not in love… Is it someone I know?"

It's you. It's always been you. Every time I see you I want to punch you and then kiss the pain away and then fall into your arms. I'm so jealous of the way people just seem to flock to you but all you do is push them away. Sometimes I feel extremely special when you take the time to address me, to acknowledge me. When we create music I feel a bond that I know no one else can have. Music is the only thing that keeps us together. It makes us closer—a unit. And… I… I'm falling for you. I'm falling so damn hard and I can't even go on.

Yeah, that would be great to say if I were an idiot.

"Nope. Of course not."

Sasuke stares at me… long and hard… that same gaze that always seems to pierce me where it kills. "Hm."

And all I get is a 'Hm'.

Hide your disappointment, Uzumaki. Just hide it all under the millions of trash bags you've got piling up in your heart. "Is that all you wanted?"

"No. Not really."

"Well then…?"

He shrugged. "I'm waiting for your normal idiotic outburst that ruins our small and short serious moments."

Awww… he said _our _moments. It's a sign…

That I've gone insane.

"Hey now. I'm none to be a very sentimental and serious-minded person when needed to," I wag a finger at him that he just rolls his eyes at. Great. He doesn't take me seriously… oh well. "Ask as many questions as you like, but I'll warn you now I expect that I can do the same thing."

He cocked an amused eyebrow. "What makes you think I'll play fair?"

I shrugged, "I just do. I don't really need a reason, do I?"

"No… I suppose you don't."

"Good. Now ask. My attention span has been known to wane if you're not careful."

"Good to know," oh sarcasm. I love it when he does that. "If you've never been in love before, how do you get all those emotions into our songs? Lyric writing comes best from experience but… you don't have any. No offense." Well at least he has _some _morality.

I lean back against the wall and idly drum my fingers on my knee. I could say a lot about that question, actually. There were instances where I thought I did find that stupid agape, _agápe, _grape… whatever. My selfless, unconditional love of sorts, I guess you could call it… were my mind going haywire at the prospect that someone was truly interested in me. That wasn't love. It was only a misguided affection… one I lead blindly.

"I guess…" I start off slowly, "it's my imagination that does all the work. I can sort of place myself in a person's shoes and try to come up with an idea of that… love. I guess. To me, I think of racing hearts and really, really distracting thoughts whenever you would think of that person. I guess you could call that a crush to but the feelings are more… intense." I scratched the back of my head nervously. Did that sound coherent? No…? Dammit.

Uchiha nodded after what seemed to be hours and sifted a little in his chair. I wish he'd come over here and sit next to me. That'd be nice. "I'm going to assume you think of person who shall not be named, right?" don't smirk like that. Like we're sharing some dirty little secret when you _are _the secret and… this just screws up everything that's logical.

Until recently? No. I normally made up things I saw from _The Notebook _or _The Titanic. _Now I think about you every time a lyric comes into my head. It's pretty bad. I shrug carelessly. "Not necessarily. I use a lot of things for inspiration."

"And Nigel wants us to find our agápe by falling in love with one another." He snorted at the ridiculous conception. Granted I found the idea ludicrous as well but I wouldn't snort at it like it's _impossible _or anything. "He didn't even listen to me…"

"Speaking of that," I lean forward, because I'm rather interested to learn how tormented my little crush of a partner must be. "I've answered your questions, here comes mine."

"Who said I was done interrogating you?"

"I do. And we're moving on!" ha! Eat that, Sasuke! "I know I'm probably the last person you'll ever tell this too but, you know, I'm a pretty trustworthy guy! Also we've been living together for the past like, what, three years? Maybe even longer; I think that gives me some leeway for your trust, right?"

"You'd think that wouldn't you…" Sasuke shakes his head at me, muttering something under his breath I can't understand. What? Is me trying to be civil and responsible so unheard of in this day and age? I'll have you know that… I'm really not that surprised by his reaction.

Moving right along.

"Well I'm right."

"You are."

Oh, acceptance. This is new.

"So will you tell me?"

"Will you tell me about America?"

Low blow, Uchiha.

I scowl and hold my ground. "That's a totally different subject matter, Uchiha."

Sasuke shrugged. "You asked if I could be honest with you, I was simply hoping for the same attitude in return."

"Well screw you. America's off the table. Now can I ask you my question?"

I could tell I must be close—or I already have—popped a blood vessel in Sasuke's head. He's already twitching. Ha. I love it when he twitches.

"Hn."

I hate it when he goes to monosyllables to piss me off, though.

"Kay. So you're experience with love. You said it was terrifying. What in the world made it so… sucky?"

Fuck my lack of words even though I'm supposed to be a songwriter. Words should come naturally. However, right now in our spacious, barely lit room I can't find anything to say to take away the immense amount of pain I see come over Sasuke's face. I felt like someone had walked over and punched me in the gut—hard. I can't even explain it. Sasuke rarely shows emotion… and this? This was out of my world.

After a few seconds he seemed to slip on his mask, but I wasn't stupid. I could still see all the insecurity in his eyes. "I was stupid. Fell in love with the person. And they only ended up leaving me feeling idiotic and used in the end. The end."

I swallowed. "That's a lovely story. Loved the detail."

A shaky smirk played across Sasuke's face. "You asked."

"Yeah. I know. I didn't expect a novel but I didn't expect you to answer me that way, either."

"Was I not vague enough?" Dammit, why are you so amused? Uncock that eyebrow now! Is uncock even a word? Most likely it's not.

"No. No. I pretty much got the gist of it and I won't pry. But I will tell you you're incredibly stupid if you're going to let something that—may I remind you, is completely vague to _me_—get in the way of you finding love again." Whether it is some lucky bitch that gets you instead of me.

Oh, another twitch. "It's not that easy." Sasuke hissed.

I recoiled slightly. Sasuke and animosity were not things to mess with. "I know. I know. Okay, I don't know but what I _do _know is that yeah, life is tough. And sure, when you're in love everything hits you ten times harder, but to sulk about it for years? That's stupid. Don't let one person's mistake effect you for the rest of your life. Honestly Uchiha, I thought you were better at this. What happened to the guy who let no one else's shit gets in your way?"

"Nothing," there's a bitter edge to his voice, and I know beneath those words he's starting to see things my way. And inside I beam a little. Sasuke Uchiha… actually listening to what I have to say. I like it. "You're surprisingly smart."

I scoff. I take that more as a compliment than an insult. "And you're surprisingly dumb. Glad we got the obvious out of the way."

He snorted and got up from the chair. I thought that meant we were done with our little moment but instead he didn't go for the door… he came for me. Who was sitting on my bed. Perched against my wall. He was coming to sit next to me… on said bed. And… I can't even…

Our shoulders barely touch, and our hands are just inches away—_inches_. My fingers are curling to touch his; they're threatening to fall off if they don't.

"Apologize to Nigel tomorrow," Sasuke warns me trying to look stern but positively failing. He's smirking, which in Uchiha World means he's smiling.

"Maybe," I smile right back.

"You're so childish…"

I smile even wider, "It's what Japan loves about me."

Sasuke rolled his eyes, "If that makes you sleep easier…"

You curling up against me would scare all my nightmares away.

"It's a wonderful thing to suck on." I admit playfully.

We sort of sat like that for the next couple of hours, talking about random stuff that didn't even make sense half of the time. We debated about a lot of things were never brought up before: like what type of sandwich was perfect for any occasion and who had the craziest fan encounters. Sasuke won with the story about a fan sneaking into his bathtub and refusing to leave until he signed her _everywhere_.

I didn't even try holding back my laughter. "A-Are you serious?"

Sasuke had his face in his hands, shaking his head back and forth as the obviously unpleasant memories killed his brain cells. "Do you _think _I'd lie about something like that? That's why I bolt every place with a door. And I even walk around with a stun gun before taking a shower…"

My eyes bulged out of my head, tears awkwardly streaming down my eyes from laughing so hard. "Okay. This proves every clue I had towards you being psychotic. You don't have to go that far!"

He shot a glare at me. "If you saw what I saw that day, you'd go that far."

Point taken.

After that our bodies somehow got closer to each other. Our shoulders now touched and I was so tired I used Sasuke's shoulder as a pillow. Purely platonic I assure you. Even though Sasuke didn't move his shoulder from my head… so either he's as tired as I am or just doesn't care. Either way I don't care.

"_Agápe _huh?" Sasuke muttered quietly.

"Bless you," I yawned.

"Baka."

"Jackass."

"Dobe."

"Teme."

"We're never going to fine…" a yawn, "that… _agápe _like this."

"That's…" I yawned again, "fine…" 'Unconsciously' I turned my body a little bit to the left for 'comfortable' purposes. "Tomorrow's a new day, right?"

"Sure…"

Sasuke's eyes dripped close and shortly after mine did too. I'm not too sure what just happened to us in the small amount of hours we spent together in our room. But… whatever it was… led me to fall asleep with my head on Sasuke's shoulder.

And trust me… I'm not complaining about that one bit.

* * *

><p>I have this screen shot saved on my computer of the six types of love according to Greek. I wanted to turn those types of love into mini-stories connected through out the series. Probably for Fictionpress or a oneshot collection on Fanfiction. That idea is still fresh in my mind. HOWEVERRRRR. I wanted to use a word from there <em>sooo <em>badly that I couldn't resist using the word _agápe (; _

So. Um. In conclusion... Uh... Dang it. I can't think of anything funny to say. Must be because it's almost 10:30 here and my brain shuts off at nights. Derp.


	13. Picking Petals Off Of Flowers

Guys, this is short c; and a filler! LEGIT! REAL FILLER THIS TIME GUYS! Because last night really was the "push" our little raven and kit needed to get some heart-thumping, mind-numbing, SEX. Cough. Kidding, not sex. But feelings FEELS MAN to get turning and churning. Thank you one and all for reviewing and adding to favs and alerts I love you all very much! YOU GUYS MAKE ME LAUGH AND SMILE. OHMYGOD. LIKE. IF I HAD A CRAPPY DAY I KNOW TO LOOK FOR YOU GUYS AND JUST READ YOUR REVIEWS AND LAUGH XD.

One seriously got me rolling when she said: "I AM NIGEL. NIGEL IS ME. NIGEL IS MY SPIRIT ANIMAL" I died. I DIED! **You know who you are c; **LOLOLOL. JUST. SPIRIT ANIMALS. MYGOD. Gets me every time...

**Warning: KAY. So you know how you see pretty little song lyrics in this fic? Well, they're all written by me. On the spot, to be honest o3o. Unless you guys want me to burn CDS of me singing this pretty songs and make them viral, then you can't really find them on Youtube. SORRY GUYS. I'M SORRY ;A;. Also, this is in Sasuke's POV with a special intro from a lovely new character! YOU ALL KNOW WHO IT IS. YOU KNOW. **

**Disclaimer: I never actually do a legitimate disclaimer. I just sort of use this to ramble more...**

ENJOY SASUKE'S INNER TURMOIL -KAY NOT THAT INNER-

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><p><strong>Chapter Thirteen: Picking Petals Off Of Flowers<strong>

My shoulder felt really heavy after having Naruto's face plaster to it for the night. Strangely, when I woke up at... the clock's reading nine thirty in the morning... I wasn't annoyed or angry that we had fallen asleep like this. There was no disgust curling in my stomach and I didn't feel the need to push him off me.

Weird...

The feeling I have instead is one I thought I wouldn't experience again. No… more like one I had no wish to know again. Yet Naruto's still pressed near my body and rather than shaking him awake and telling him to move off, I want to pull him closer and…

I shake my head and carefully shuffle out from under him. He grumbles in his sleep but doesn't wake up. His body's sort of slumping to the side so I help him out by pushing him down on the bed... Wait, that sounded perverted... don't take that the wrong way.

I'm not sure why I didn't leave our room then. My eyes were locked on his face... perfectly peaceful. I decided I like it when he's asleep. With his eyes closed and his mouth ajar he actually looks sort of...

My God I'm going to stab myself later for this...

Cute. He looks so cute. And the urge to curl up next to him again is starting to overtake me. So I turn around, grab my cellphone and my keys, and head for the parking garage downstairs. My heart's hammering loudly with every step I take downstairs. Once I'm in the garage I spot my small, black Benz in it's normal spot and hop right in.

My heart's still hammering.

With shaky fingers I pull out my phone and speed dial number 2.

"_Talk to me."_

The car hadn't started yet; so don't try to use me as an example for driving. "Can't you say hello like a normal person?"

Itachi—my brother—chuckled. _"Normal and I don't really associate too well."_

"Obviously."

"_I'm going to make the assumption that you called me for a reason and not just to chat?"_

My hands gripped onto the steering wheel tightly. Images of Naruto were flashing through my mind. How we fell asleep like that, our talk last night, Nigel's moronic gesture... I'll never say it to Naruto's face but he was... ugh, _right_. I shouldn't sulk—I want to. I really do—but it's not _worth _it. I'm eighteen and I'm still hung up over something that happened years ago.

My sense of holding a grudge is ridiculous...

"You can say that..." I muttered and lazily fiddled with my radio. One of MAXED-OUT's old songs, _Lighthouse _started to slowly engross the air around me.

"_Well tell me. Or we can sit around and play the guessing game until you crack." _

"I'd rather not," sighing; I rested my head against the steering wheel and mentally tried to wrack up words to say. I'm a songwriter yet explaining my feelings is a struggle. Why is there so much irony in this? "I told you about Naruto before, correct?"

"_The name is ringing a few bells, yes."_

So I told him the whole story. Not how we're working together because Itachi already knew that, but how Nigel suggested such a ludicrous idea that made us both angry and then led to us falling asleep on each other in Naruto's bed. I told him how I actually went over to the blond and sat with him... on _his _bed and how I even let him sleep on my shoulder. I blamed it on my tired-induce state, obviously, that I would even allow physical contact like that to be permitted.

I was supposed to hate Naruto, or at the very least not like him. I do find him annoying don't get me wrong. But that normal fiery biting at my stomach that I normally related to hatred for him whenever we spoke? It's been all washed out.

_Promise me you'll guide me home with a few whispered words and your hand to hold. _

"_Ah, Seguchi-san. He's an old acquaintance of mine. I'm glad to hear his flamboyant ways haven't deflated over the years."_

"I spill out my thoughts and that's all you can say?" I growled.

I could practically see my brother eye-rolling on the other end. _"That was a part of it, yes. Anyways, you and Naruto-kun both had valid reasons to be mad. Naruto-kun's statement about your grudge is very accurate and I would hope you'd act upon it." _Great, the whole world's against me. Just great.

With a strangled sigh coming out of my lips, I'm not too sure I'm up to hear what else he has to say. "And…?"

"_And, I think you like him."_

… Oh, if that's all he wanted to say then—the words finally catch up to my head to be processed, only to come around and smack me in the face. "WHAT?" I think a part of my brain just exploded. How in the fuck did he come up with _that _conclusion?

"_Still alive?"_

"Explain yourself. _Now_."

"_It's a simple understanding of the human psyche, Otouto." _I'm going to kill him. He's fucking road kill and I'll walk away without anyone knowing because I'll do him away so well that—_"Also, it's not hard to figure your feelings out with what you've told me. How you acted and how you're reacting now just proves my theory. You like Naruto-kun. Either accept it or hang up right now and stop bitching at me because I've just solved your problem." _

I grit my teeth together and gripped onto my steering wheel. My brother's mood swings were that of a pregnant polar bear. One minute he's joking in a really twisted way and the next he's shooting me off do or die advice that he _knows _he's forcing me to pick his route. And I hate that. It irks me. Yet… sitting in my car with _Lighthouse's _final verses strumming through my ear… It's starting to make sense.

_The seas are rocky. The waves are hard. The winds are blowing. So where's our hope?_

_It's when I look at you and I see everything I want; everything I could be._

_You're the light that'll lead my ship to shore._

_You're my guardian angel, baby._

_Guide me home and I'll be in your arms right where I belong. _

Damn you meaningful and emotional lyrics. Damn you all to hear.

Itachi's smirking on his end of the line, I can hear it crawling onto his face. _"It seems like my work is done. My plane's finally arrived and I'll be heading off to the states for a about a month or so. Busy, busy. Call me when you've hooked up with Naruto-kun. I'd love to hear the details about how right I was."_

"I'd like to kick you right now." Don't agree to anything, Uchiha, and you'll get far…

"_You can try. But you'll fail. I'll be expecting your call soon, Otouto. Bye." _The line went dead. Some other song that I didn't know the name of started to come into my car. It sounded trashy so I turned it off in a fit of rage. Damn my brother for thinking he knows me better than I know myself. I don't like Naruto. I would know if I liked the blond, right? Yes, I wanted to hold him this morning. Sure, I think of him in a better light than I do most. And all right, I'll even go as far as admitting that when Naruto mentioned he had someone in mind… my gut clenched. That should be enough of a hint for me to back off—if I actually pursued him. Yet… the idea of going for him, of trying this love business one more time… it's entertaining.

No. That's not the right word.

It's _thrilling_.

"Damn it all," I slam my forehead against my wheel.

Fine. It's official. I like the Dobe.

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><p>Did you guys like my filler (; I promise next chapter will be THRILLING! I PROMISE! Also. Did you guys catch my witty title? ;D WELL. I thought it was witty. tehehehhe. CAPS. CAPS IS A BEAUTIFUL INVENTION.<p>

REVIEW IF YOU AGREE. KEKEKEKEKE. CAN'T BELIEVE I JUST KEKEKEKE. I DON'T EVEN KEKEKEKE. CAPS.


	14. Apologies, Almosts, and Awkward Bumpins

**Warning: Can't stay on long. Making this AN short. I'll be long and obnoxious next chapter. General warning that this chapter especially is where our romance really kicks off. **

**Disclaimer: I want to own a sea turtle. **

Enjoy guys c:!

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><p><strong>Chapter Fourteen: Apologies, Almosts, and Awkward Bump-ins <strong>

When I woke up the next morning I was lying on my side… alone. My heart ached—dully. I guess a part of me already expected that the night before probably meant nothing to Sasuke, so it already soaked itself in some morphine to blind out the pain.

Doesn't mean the dull ache didn't hurt any less.

"Fuck my romantic self," I really wasn't in the mood to get up and face facts yet so I rolled over to face the wall. My eyes were burning. "Don't cry, Uzumaki. Don't cry. You knew this would happen and it was nice while it lasted. Now don't you dare cry…"

I still like him. A lot. And just lying here with no music or outside world to bother me is pounding that thought into my head harder and harder.

I like Sasuke so much…

Fuck. I need a tissue.

+MAXED-OUT+

Okay, not that my emotional drama has been viewed for the day, it's time for a little pump up, right? I finally crawled out of bed thirty minutes later after a hellish battle between my brain and my heart. In case you all wanna know, no one won. They're both bloody creatures let me tell you. So I'm walking down the hallway to get in the shower, a spare change of clothes in hand, and look presentable for the human race when I bump into the last person I want to see right now.

That's right…

You guessed it.

"Oh."

Out of all the freaking things he could have said, he had to go with 'Oh'? Why type of songwriter is this guy?

My eyes drop to the floor without me even thinking and I kind of shrug. "Yo." What type of greeting was that, Uzumaki? You guys just slept _on _each other. Not _with _each other.

Waaaaitt…

Sasuke awkwardly grunted and it looked like he wanted to say something, but he held it back. You jerk. "Breakfast is ready."

"Oh. Okay."

God, send someone to shoot me right now this is getting out of hand.

We both kind of stand there, neither one looking at the other, our feet making scuff marks on the floor. My stomach growled—always the one breaking up tense situations—and Sasuke instantly looked up at me.

Great, now I feel my face heating up.

"Hehe… you know how our bodies work and all… haven't really ate anything since last night."

"Makes sense…" aw, he's smirking a little. That's cu—nice. That's nice. Come on Naruto stay strong. "I'll see you downstairs then?"

"Sure." I nod. "See you then."

Ugh. That made me think that we're planning some breakfast date downstairs. You know what, screw this denial phase. I will happily go along with the delusion that Sasuke and I are about to have a date in five minutes!

Yes! Acceptance!

Sasuke nods right back and we silently agree on our date. Well, I agreed anyway. Sasuke's… well, I can't really say what's bothering Sasuke. He looked like he had a lot on his mind. Something was definitely off because—I'm realizing this now as I'm walking towards the shower with my clothes—he hadn't taken a stab to insult me in the five minutes we were sharing air space. Normally he would have said something about my really messy hair—it stuck up like lightning bolts and normally stayed like that until I tamed it with my brush—or he'd make a jab at my stomach's mating calls for food.

Nope. None of that happened. He was totally… platonic and maybe a little cautious?

"I will never understand that boy," I sigh as I strip out of my clothes and slip into the shower. It sucks because I really want to know everything about it, right down to the nitty gritty. Sure, I'm able to pick out the small stuff, and that's always important, but I don't want just a little peek whenever Sasuke happens to drop his guard down without thinking. I want him to reveal _everything _to me because he _wants _to and I'd definitely do the same.

And don't you dare try to guilt me with the whole America trip. This and that are two totally different things.

"_Come on, baby, see my wings? They'll send us flying. Just gotta take my hand and we'll jump. We'll play in the clouds and we'll make love to the sky." _Have I ever told you I love singing in the shower? It's a fun time.

But I won't bore you guys with all of that. Twenty minutes later I'm out of the shower, dried off, and wearing a pair of black sweats and a white v-neck. Thank God today was Saturday so I could bum it like a king tonight—a lazy king!

Whistling a pretty happy tune towards the kitchen, allow me to tell you just how shocked I was to see Sasuke waiting outside for… some reason.

Oh please, please, please let me be the reason.

"Come here often?" Damn I'm sly.

Sasuke shrugged his shoulders and tilted his head to the side, "Some days. Heard the food's pretty nice."

"Pretty nice?" I scoffed. "The chef's here's a genius!"

"Is that so?"

Are we really having flirtatious banter right now?

"You betcha! But if you stand out there you won't be able to see—well, actually _taste _for yourself." I waggle my eyebrows and step towards the doorway, ushering him inside. "Care to join me?"

His smirk just grew even wider as he allowed himself in. "Might as well. You're paying for this, by the way." He threw over his shoulder.

Oh my God, we are having flirtatious banter! We are!

I threw my own little grin to the field. "I would… but the food here is all free. So I'll be walking away with a happy pocket today."

+MAXED-OUT+

"Okay…" Iruka stopped his eating and pushed his plate away, fixing Sasuke and me an equally intense gaze. "Which one's the clone?"

Sasuke cocked an eyebrow while I spit out my orange juice… away from the table, of course. "What made you jump to that conclusion?"

"Seriously! I thought you'd be happy that Sasuke and I aren't going at it this morning."

"Oh trust me, I'm very happy you guys aren't acting like monkeys today. But that's not my point. Naruto, you haven't said one childish thing to Sasuke all morning."

"Hey! I'm insulted you think that way of me!"

"You can't blame him," Sasuke teased.

I shot him a fake glare, "Watch it, Uchiha. I've got a fork and I'm not afraid to use it."

"Oh. Frightening."

"_Also,_" Iruka cut us in with glares of his own. Oops, he wasn't down with his Sherlock persona yet. Oh damn. "Sasuke, you're sitting next to Naruto."

I know. And I love it.

Sasuke looks at the small space between us as if it's the first time he's noticing that he sat down beside me of his own free will. "Hm. Seems like you're right."

"See what I mean?" He's just not letting this go… "All right, fess up. Who got abducted last night and is a killer alien come to kill us all."

"Well I wasn't going to say anything…" I dropped off casually.

Sasuke was fighting back a smirk; I could see it on his face. I like his face.

I like admitting that I like his face.

Iruka was on the verge of having a breakdown. I could see it by the way he was gnawing his teeth and scrunching his eyes. It's a pretty funny sight, to be honest. Then it looked like he came up with something incredulous by the way his eyes sparkled up like lighters. "This makes so much sense now…" he muttered, a wry grin crawling up on his face.

I raised an eyebrow and carefully leaned over to pat Mom on the back. "Um… I was just kidding about the alien joke, Mom…"

"No. No. I'm not that dense, Naruto." He brushed off my hand and then shot Sasuke really crazy looks and me. "You guys finally got together."

This time Sasuke was the one to spit out his drink and I was the one to choke on air. Finally? _FINALLY? _What's with this finality, huh? Did Mom see something that I was blind to? What? Huh? No! Wait!

"No, we're not…" Sasuke tried to explain.

"You're off your fucking rocker, Mom!"

"Dobe and I—"

"We're definitely not—"

"Dating? Are you mad?"

"Get back on your rocker, Mom!"

"No… no, of course not."

"Absolutely no freaking _way_." We finish together, in sync. That probably doomed us all.

Iruka's having a fucking field day in his seat; he's practically rolling _everywhere_. God, I hope he falls off. When he's finally done dying, he takes one more decent look at us, wipes his eyes, and then starts rolling again.

This doesn't stop until five minutes later when he's read in the face and Sasuke's about to lunge at him with a knife.

I was his back up with the spoon, by the way.

"Sorry, sorry," that's right, you best be apologizing. You may cook good food but you are dead to me for the next four minutes! "It's just that… I was so sure! So sure! And your guy's reactions? Proved my point!"

"You don't _have _a point!" Sasuke hissed.

Iruka just brushed him off and continued. "If you guys aren't together now, I definitely see it happening soon. Don't keep me in the dark too long, all right boys?" he pointedly shot a wink my way. No! Don't wink at me! You're dead to me! Zombies don't fucking wink—it's not even logical!

Mom pushes himself away from the table and clear off his plate—and probably escape the death trap he just sent for himself—but before he leaves us allow to wallow in our embarrassment and awkwardness, he tosses a few more words over his shoulders.

"Oh right, if you boys do decide to tell me make sure it's directly and not indirectly. If I ever find you two making love like rabbits in the living room or something…"

"Get _out!" _We both screamed, ready to throw our chairs at Iruka but the man was already skipping out of the room without a damn care in the world.

"I'll castrate that man when I find him," Sasuke muttered under his breath, simmering down enough to sit and finish off his breakfast.

"I'll hold him down while you map out his body," I throw in, sitting down myself because there was still a half plate of eggs sitting in front of me and they were about to take a lovely trip into my stomach.

Things got awkward after that. I noticed Sasuke didn't move away though… that was a plus. Oh be still my beating heart. We made random, awkward eye contact at weird intervals that only lasted three seconds at a time. Our plates were licked clean in five more minutes and we sort of sat there just twiddling our thumbs and uh… stuff.

"Soooooo…" my mind's still reeling after Iruka's words. I swear, that man must be seeing things that even my spidey senses can't pick up.

And that means everything because my spidey senses are top notch.

"Iruka's on something today."

"Quite, quite."

"His cooking is still delicious."

"The best…"

Our eyes lock and once again I get the tingly, nausea, butterfly feeling that something _big _is going to happen but I can't tell what it is!

And before anything fantastic can happen, Sasuke phone rings.

"Dammit all," he presses a few buttons and brings the phone up to my ear. "Uchiha, here."

"_Raven! I need you and Kit to come down to Miracle Studio at three."_

"Hey! Why don't you call me?" Favoritism much?

Sasuke smirked, "Because you're a dobe, Dobe."

"Teme, I will cut you!"

"_Kit, I can hear you just fine. And Sasuke's response was more or less what I was going to tell you."_

Fuckers! All of them!

"I hate you all! Burn!" so much for my adult-like manner with Sasuke Iruka was rolling about. I slumped back in my sit and folded my arms. Hell I even threw in a pout because I could.

I could tell Sasuke was trying not to laugh at me. I hope he choked on his laugh. Then I'd kiss him awake and—

"Now he's throwing a temper tantrum." Sasuke did the smart thing and put the phone on speaker so we could all contribute. No. Screw you. I'm still sulking.

"_Typical."_

"Haters!"

"Anyway, ignoring Naruto, how's Nigel? Is he upset about our behavior?"

"_Can't tell you that, kids. You're going to have to come down here and figure it out yourself. See you later. Oh, and don't forget to bring your best faces—you'll need them."_

Sasuke snorted as he disconnected the call. If I could read his mind I bet he was thinking: "I already wear my best face". He's so easy to figure out.

I stretched out the kinks in my back before getting up. I guess I should be getting ready by now. It's already eleven and I do have homework to actually look at and act like it exists. I'm about to leave too, probably throw a goodbye or something over Sasuke's shoulder when he stops me.

"We've got a couple of hours to kill…"

"You don't say?" I grinned. I hope he's thinking of something devious to do because I'd really like to keep pretending that my homework is nothing but a myth.

"We still need to have a winner for that Just Dance competition."

I think my eyes popped out of my head when he brought that up. I've literally counted down the days until we could get around to finishing what we started a few months back but with our world tour and variety shows and stuff, we haven't been able to declare a winner.

Until today…

But I'll play hard to get, first, because I want to see if Sasuke's being genuine or if this is all some sick joke to torment me.

I pretend to look nonchalant and rub my shoulder. "Sounds fun, man, but you know I've got a lot of homework to do and…"

Damn. Sasuke has this look on his face that's screaming he's prepared for everything I'm throwing. "You can use the orange controller."

"I'll play! I'll play! Fuck yes I'll play!" The orange controller? My future baby? The one Sasuke always takes just to piss me off? I get to use it? Yeeeeesss! I dash over to the living room to snag up my baby before Sasuke can go back on his promise and bounce on the couch. "Come in here so I can kick your ass with my baby!"

+MAXED-OUT+

"You're cheating!"

"Dobe! You've been trying to sweep kick me for the past five minutes!"

"I'm telling you that's what the game's telling me to do!"

Sasuke shoots me a look that I reply with a wink and then he just shakes his head and turns his intensity back to the game. "I swear to God I'm walking out here the winner."

"In your fucking dreams, Uchiha!" I hold my orange Wii controller with pride and start following the movements of my person on screen. "I shall be King of the Dance and you will be my subject!"

"As if," Sasuke scoffed as if losing was something that was impossible for him. "Props still stand, right?"

"Never changed, man."

Props, or I guess what the winner gets to brag and abuse about, were simple: Winner is crowned King. Loser is kicked in the shin and then deemed subject. For one whole week subject has to do whatever the King tells him to do and there's no whining, back sass, or complaints. Last time we played, we were tied and we decided to do a winner takes all level so we bumped everything up to expert and partied hard…

And we may have went a little too hard because then our Wii remotes ran straight through our last plasma TV… it was not a pretty sight. Hilarious, but not pretty. Iruka almost made us sleep on the streets that night.

He settled to let us camp out in the lobby instead.

"Getting tired, Sasuke?" The song we were dancing to was long and rigorous, a fresh puddle of sweat stained my shirt and my hair was plastered all over my forehead. But I was going to go hard or I was gonna go home and cry! And dammit, I'm not going to go home and cry! I'm already home!

"You wish, Dobe." He pulled off a pretty sweet move, which bumped him up a few points, but I retaliated with some kick ass free styling that got me well over 1000 points. The song was coming to a conclusion where both players would have thirty seconds to pull off the moves shown on the screen. Sasuke was getting into his part and in thirty seconds he earned himself about 5000 points.

Nice work, nice work.

"Top that," he smirked but clearly out of breath.

I wrung out my hands and flailed my arms around to get some circulation going. "Trust me, I'll top your score and then some." Did that sound like an innuendo? Ho, ho, ho, I'm getting so good at subtly.

My turn came up and I was on fire. Literally. I was doing so good I had no doubt in my mind that I'd win, but then my footing slipped and for a minute I thought the end of the world was coming because I was about to lose and become Sasuke's slave for a week! That's not even my kink!

"Dobe!"

_Wham! _

Ouch, ouch, ouch… I landed on something hard and I hope it's not my soccer cleats I left out because I was lazy or else I'll have welts in my side for days. I opened my eyes by a crack and tried to move but that caused a groan to come out of…

"You're… so… heavy…"

Oh shit.

I flip myself around—now I'm straddling Sasuke's hips—to find a lovely little surprise underneath me. Oh look, it's Sasuke Uchiha, and I'm shamelessly lying on top of him… Oh shit! Oh shit! I'm on top of Sasuke! I'm on top of him!

"S-Sorry…" my face is heating up I just know it. I feel the blush trying to take over every inch of my body and this is not okay. "I guess I went a little too hard there…"

"You think…"

If I squint a little I think Sasuke's blushing too… or maybe that's not a big part of my imagination as I think it is.

My heart's hammering out of control now. The room seems tighter knit then I'm used to. Sasuke hasn't moved me yet. I haven't moved yet. We're lying here, staring into each other's faces… I gulp and think about all the things that could go on right now. My eyes trail his face… how beautiful his eyes look in any type of light. How his nose is all perfect and cute and straight. And his lips… I licked my own at the thought of kissing him.

"Naruto…" his eyes are fluttering… and he parts his lips. He sits up a little, only so his head comes closer to mind…

"Sasuke," I'm about to meet him halfway… and we're so damn close to doing… I can't even think straight right now. My heart's on the verge of imploding along with my brain and my thought process is so haywire I can't. I just can't.

"For the love of God, guys! We talked about this at breakfast! I don't want to walk in on you guys like this to learn that you two are together!"

Sasuke and I jump back as far away from each other as possible. I'm making love to the fan near our bookcase while Sasuke's taking refuge near the couch. Iruka's carrying a load of laundry in his arms looking way too pleased about this situation more than he should be.

"N-Nothing's going on, Mom!" I try to defend us but if I were in Iruka shoes I'd probably be thinking the same thing.

Sasuke wordlessly nods with me. I think he's about as stunned as I am.

Iruka doesn't look convinced at all. "Sure. Uh huh. So you're telling me that you two weren't about to suck face with each other on my carpet?"

"That's exactly what we're saying," Sasuke deadpanned.

Yes! Yes! Deny everything in front of Iruka!

"Okaaaaaay…" damn, he still doesn't sound convinced. "Well, I'll be finishing up these loads of laundry I have to do. You guys get back to… _whatever _you were doing and I'll see you guys later for dinner." He walks away and I'm about to cheer because that was seriously awkward, only he comes back because he's a freaking sadist with a vendetta. "Oh yeah, if you guys really want to make out I suggest the pullout couch, it's much more convenient."

And then he was off…

"I don't even want to know how he knows that…" Sasuke mutters as he pulls himself up from the ground to gather up his wits.

I do the same and we're off to being awkward again. Only until I realize something detrimental that could very well destroy everything I worked on for the past hour…

"The TV chord…" I bend down shakily and pick up the dangling victim by the plug from the ground. "I pulled it out when I tripped… Noooooooo!"

"Dobe," Sasuke looks at me with shame and I feel like a kicked puppy. It wasn't my fault! Jeez! Gravity, man! "I should be winner by default now."

"No way! We're finishing this right now!" I go to plug in the chord but Sasuke's phone beeps. Lo and behold it's Jiraiya telling us to hurry up to the studio before we're dickless.

I rather like my manhood, so we booked it out of the Penthouse and decided that our game—and the kiss—would be pushed aside for another day.

Hopefully it's tomorrow.

+MAXED-OUT+

Nigel's already seated on his director's chair, sporting a very flashy purple bowtie and a rainbow vest when he spots us and waves us over.

"Raven, Kit, I'm so glad to see you! Oh my, am I glad!"

I bow down immediately and say, "Nigel-san, please forgive me for my behavior yesterday. It was rude and totally uncalled for. I'm a professional and should take your advice with respect."

"Oh do raise your head! I'm not angry at all! I will admit that my flamboyant nature yesterday even surprised _me_. But don't you worry, don't you worry! You boys won't have to worry about finding your _agápe _if it makes you two uncomfortable!"

"Actually, Seguchi-san, I think your idea was nice and we could use it as footwork to get the image you want." Look at Sasuke go, being all-smooth like an operator.

Nigel's eyes glow like diamonds at the complement and once again he's twirling around like some ballerina on a sugar rush. "That is so good to hear! Very good to hear! I hope that all can go well today and that filming will go without a hitch, yes?"

"Of course!" I beam.

"Good, good! I won't ask much of you today, I promise you I won't! Just one simple scene showcasing one of Silo's more unnoticeable traits! Raven, I hope you brought your dancing shoes along today!"

"Oh darn… I think I might have burned them," Sasuke says it all good-naturedly but I can tell he's not so keen on Nigel's ideas. He'll do it though, because that's who he is.

"Well don't worry! I have a spare!"

Good old Nigel… what would we do without you?

+MAXED-OUT+

He had his hands around my waist, guiding me through the intangible music Silo was singing for us. I decided before that I loved his voice—powerful and strong, so confident and mighty—but I like this version too; soft and mellow, like a peaceful brook on a spring day.

"I never knew you could dance, Silo." I smile up at him as he twirls me around. Loki is sitting on the ottoman having a bawl at our little performance.

"There's a lot of things you don't know about me," he leaned into my ear and whispered. My entire body shivered as he finished singing the rest of my notes in my ear.

"_And we'll melt under the covers, flushed out by the heat, our bodies pressed together… and the taste of kiss on our lips." _

"And cut! Cut! Cut!" Nigel snaps his fingers three times with each cut. "That was very good! Very, very good! That's all I need from you boys, today, thank you very much!"

We linger in each other's arms for three more seconds—they were rather long ones—before we pulled apart. As we were whisked away to separate rooms I could still feel his fingers digging into our hips, and still remember the sensations that attacked me when we were about to kiss in the living room…

I'm seriously hoping we'd have that chance again.

+MAXED-OUT+

"You ready for this, Uchiha?"

Sasuke takes a starting stance and shoots me a challenging glare, "This time we _will _have a winner and it will be me."

"Yeah. Okay. If this was freaking Wonderland and you were the Mad Hatter. Be prepared to buy me a crown, Uchiha, because I'm going to be King."


	15. It's Fan Service, Guys, Just Fan Service

I don't know how it got this long or how this chapter turned into this direction... I'm also not happy with some parts. I feel like I made Naruto boring this chapter ;A; BUT I DO LIKE HOW I ENDED THIS. WITH A LEAD OFF TO THE ROMANCE. YOOOSH! Also, guys, I'm going to explain to you have the rest of the story is going to arc out, kay? Kay. So this first part is majorly focusing on their relationship. We're buliding up to the moment when they finally run into their arms, kiss, admit their feelings or do _something_. After that's done then I'll add in the drama of America and Naruto's whole issue with that. And then we'll dig into Sasuke's closet and find all those beautiful skeletons he hides under there (; I plan for this story to be a rather lengthy one. So if you guys can just bear with me till the end I'd really appreciate it c:

NOW AFTER THAT LONGWINDED INTRO.

**Warning: Guys, this is half a filler half fluff half blah. I hope you all enjoy it either way.**

**Disclaimer: Gaaaah. I hate this word o.o. GUYS. I DON'T OWN... ANYTHING. UGH ;A;**

Enjoy c:!

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><p><strong>Chapter Fifteen: It's Fan Service, Guys, Just Fan Service<strong>

"N-Naruto-kun… I have a question."

I looked up from my manga, a bunch of curlers poking here and there through out my hair, and gazed up at Hinata. "Shoot," I grinned.

"U-Um... w-why is S-Sasuke-kun... playing with your DS?"

I couldn't help but smirk at that. "Oh. That? Well because I told him to, of course. Which reminds me..." I spun around in my chair to see the greatest sight of my life—other than seeing Sasuke naked, but that hasn't happened yet so damn—Sasuke was hunched in his chair, undoubtedly immersed in the ever-fascinating game of Pokemon. "Oi, Sasuke! How's that training going?"

"Shut up!" Sasuke barked. "You made me battle the hardest boss in the fucking game..."

I grinned like a freak at how great it was to be King—yup, I won the challenge guys. Love me—and turned back to Hinata who looked like she just came out of the womb and had no idea what to do with her life other than cry and poop. "Let's just say that Sasuke and I came to terms with who actually reigns on top..."

"You fucking cheated!"

"Sasuke! Focus!" I barked back. Yup, yup, being King was definitely good. Sasuke could do nothing more but grumble because, as we all know and shall rejoice at, I won our little Just Dance Winner Takes all Battle a few days ago. For the past three days I've made him do stupid and meaningless tasks that were honestly created to piss him off.

For instance, I made him go out to Victoria Secret to buy me a bra, then I told him to hand it to Hinata and say: "I thought this would work for me, but then I really looked at it and thought... no. This is a bra fit for Hinata."

We—okay, _I—_almost killed the girl with that stunt.

It was still pretty damn funny.

Hinata nodded in understanding and continued to pull out the curlers from my hair. "You two are always getting into something new..." she smiled at me softly, a little twinkle going off in his pale purple eyes.

I raised an eyebrow. She look like she knew something that I didn't know and that was unacceptable because I had to know... everything. Before I could ask about her crazy woman's intuition going off, Sasuke stomped over and threw the DS at my lap.

"There. It's done."

"Did you win?

"Are you stupid?"

"No," I answered cheekily. Sasuke was gritting his teeth down to the bone, but oh no... I wasn't done with him yet. I was either going to break him or make love to him. And either one would be fun to do. This is my big chance, after all. Sasuke and I almost kissed on Saturday... K-I-S-S-E-D. The big lip to lip smack down. Ha, smack down... I'm so witty. But seriously, I can make Sasuke do what I want now... with no complaints. I could use this as my chance to _really _kiss him this time. Let me tell you, Saturday night I had nothing but dreams of him and me, lying in bed, doing... _everything_. Touching, kissing, holding—you name it. It was vivid, erotic, passionate, and made me waking up wanting more.

But I can't pursue it forcibly, you know? Sasuke's a fucking wimp no matter how bad ass he tries to play off as. If I go in too hard, he'll run away and shut himself off from me. And then it'll lead us both on opposite ends with noway to get back together. So I'll go slow... I have a plan, though. It's a beautiful one, by the way.

Sasuke looked like he was on the verge of killing me, and if looks could kill I'd be one dead blond. Good thing Jiraiya walked in just then! My hero!

"Hey there, gramps. Is it showtime yet?"

"Almost," Jiraiya muttered and shoved in another cancer stick into his mouth. Now he had two of them clogging up his lungs. "And don't call me gramps, brat!"

"If you want me to be formal I could call you grandpa..."

"Raven, why don't you control this boy?"

Sasuke shrugged off Jiraiya's cutting glare with so much nonchalance even I was astounded (not really). "Not my problem this week."

"Excuse me?" Whoops, a vein popped. That can't be healthy.

"Let me tell you the good news, Jiraiya!" I jumped out of my chair (don't worry, Hinata had already did her fantastic job at making me even more beautiful) and threw an arm around Sasuke's shoulder. I'm going to ignore his inadvertent twitch. "So you know how Teme and I had that big Just Dance competition a few months back?"

Jiraiya twitched at the memory. Yup. That was definitely a yes. "What about it...?"

"Well... we had a rematch on Saturday and I won!"

Our manager raised his eyebrows and glanced over at Sasuke who was _still _bitter over his defeat. Oh come now, you lost and I won. So yes you may or may not have tripped in the process but I can't be responsible for my body's actions. "You let him win?"

"Hey!" I shouted out in disbelief. How could he even think Sasuke would do that?

Despite the terrible accusation, Sasuke smirked. Damn you, slave. Damn you to hell. "Just a little..."

Jiraiya shot him a apologetic look and shook his head. "Either you're a masochist or an idiot. Anyway, I'm going to assume the bet you two made still stand?"

"Yup!" I answered cheerfully. "And now Sasuke's my bitch!"

"Shut up, Dobe."

"Ah, ah, ah," I leaned over so my nose was just brushing his cheek and my lips were near his ear, "That's not how a slave is supposed to address his King, right? You know better..." and then I pulled away like a champ because I just succeeded in subtle flirtation...

Oh my God I just flirted with Sasuke... in public... Why and how did that happen?

Sasuke's eyes were slightly widened and he was beyond speechless. Well me and you both, honey. Jiraiya was blatantly amused and Hinata was on the verge of passing out... again.

"U-Uh... um... respect me, bitch!" Right, right, play it off Uzumaki. Just play it off.

Sasuke's eyes dimmed down and the corner of his lips lurched. I decided right then and there I hated that look. It reminded me of a conniving cat. "Of course, my _king_."

He's going to fucking maim me.

Jiraiya was once again my faithful savior and stepped in before anything exponential could happen. "All right, all right, enough screwing around. We've got a performance to get ready for in the next hour and a half. I want you two on stage practicing. This will be your first concert of the Spring and we'll be taking the chance to promote _Notes & Keys _tonight."

"You gave Nigel those front row seat tickets, right?" Nigel was practically begging Jiraiya for those. Literally, I walked in on them and Nigel was on his knees kissing the man's feet—and trying to go higher—before Jiraiya pried him off and gave in. It was, hands down, the most disturbing and hilarious thing I've ever witnessed.

Jiraiya rubbed his temples and sighed, "Sadly I did... Oh well, as long as it makes him happy I could really care less. More kudos for us. Now come on," he ushered us towards the door like we were cattle, "to the stage both of you."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah! We heard you the first time... gramps," Oh ho! I'm so sneaky!

"Brat I will shove my cigarette so far up your ass..."

"Child endangerment! Abuser! Molester! Smoker! Grandpa!" After that I booked it for the stage. Sasuke jogged up beside me by the time I was on stage slipping on my microphone and running my fingers through my hair.

"Jiraiya's going to skin you alive once we're done."

I shrugged and grinned lazily, "Oh. I know. But I know my little subject will make sure that won't happen, right?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes and punched me in the shoulder, "I guess that's my job, huh?"

"Damn straight! Now let's get practicing!" I grabbed onto the microphone stand and cupped the microphone in my hand. "I have a feeling that tonight's going to be one hell of a performance."

+MAXED-OUT: Ten Minutes Till The Show+

After a long, one hour and thirty minute practice session Sasuke and I were cooling off backstage, wiping off what little sweat we had, and grabbing bottles of water to prepare for the night. Our concert would drag on for two hours with witty fanservice banter in-between songs. We'd be using our vocal chords a _lot _so we had ten bottles purposefully placed around the stage for either one of us to just grab and drink.

As casually as I possibly could I rested my head on Sasuke's shoulder. Over the past week I've tried to do these sort of things. You know, a hand on the arm here. Finger tips brushing whenever I could during practice or rehearsals. Whatever I could to somehow speed up what little progress we made last Friday. Sasuke never rejected me, especially this week. So I'm taking this as a positive sign that something _could _happen.

"Nervous?"

I noticed how his fingers were barely touching mine while we sat on an overturned crate. My heart rate skyrocketed and I'm pretty sure that's not healthy at all.

I smirked tiredly and poked Sasuke in the side, "Not at all. You?"

He smirked back, "Not at all. I've been dying to go back on stage."

"Same here. The stage is really where we come alive you know? We sing our hearts out and the crowd is going mad, cheering us on for encore after encore. That doesn't happen at all when we're practicing our lines on set."

"I know what you mean."

I really liked these moments we'd have when it's just me and him and no one else and we're simply sitting around talking. For a few minutes I allow myself to slip into the fantasy of how big of a chance I could have with Sasuke. Yeah, he doesn't want to fall in love again... but he never said anything about tripping in like right? I don't even think tripping in like is even a real term but if it gets me closer to Sasuke then I support it 100%.

"All right boys, time to get this show on the road." Jiraiya walked in on us, followed by Nigel who was skipping in time behind him. Sasuke and I instantly broke apart, both of us looking at opposite walls. I knew I was blushing, but I couldn't tell if Sasuke was the same way.

Nigel, on the other hand, was having a field day walking in on what he saw. "Oh my, oh dear! Do my eyes betray me? Have I witnessed a rare yet beautiful sight with my dear old eyes?"

"Nigel-san, you're a little too loud," Sasuke scolded. If it were anyone else he probably would have hissed at them... like a cat... Cats go meow. I want a cat. I'll ask Sasuke to buy me a cat next.

Jiraiya smirked and shot me a curious glance, "You two have gotten rather cozy over the last couple of days. I see you've taken up to Nigel's advice then, huh?"

"No!" I jumped in a little too quickly. "Raven and I decided that this whole 'let's pretend we hate each other' thing was a little ridiculous. Right?" I turned to Sasuke for support. Please, please, please play along.

"Hn," Sasuke nodded. Thank God! He's playing along! "I still find him irritating and childish."

"And I still think he's a stick-in-the-mud asshole." I threw in a wink so Sasuke knew I wasn't joking... too much.

Sadly, Nigel and Jiraiya didn't look very convinced.

"Riiiight," Jiraiya drawled and flipped open his cell phone. "I'd love to talk about this more but we have a concert to start. Raven, Kit, you guys go do your thing and break your leg. Or I'll do it for you if you suck tonight," with a smirk Jiraiya waved us off and pushed Nigel out of the dressing room before he could say anything.

"Good luck my beauties!" Oops, looks like he was able to break free enough to stick his head in the door and wish us off.

Nigel was starting to grow on me, now that I thought about it. Sure, he was freaking off his rocker but he was funny. Sasuke and I both waved him off until it was just the two of us again. Then we turned to face one another. I placed my arms on his shoulders and he gripped them tightly. I sucked in my breath while he exhaled one his own and we alternated like that with our breathing for a few seconds until I leaned my forehead against his.

"We're going to kill them tonight." I start.

"We'll leave them wanting more." Sasuke trails along.

"We go out there with 110%."

"And we'll walk off giving them over one-thousand."

We lock arms once more and both grin. "Don't fuck up out there, now." I tease.

Sasuke smirked, "Please. If anything, I'll be the one looking out for you tonight."

"Well as long as I know you'll be there to catch my mistakes—though I won't make any."

"Arrogant tonight, aren't we?"

"Confidence, my dear subject. Though I guess your arrogant ways have started to rub off on me..."

"_MAXED-OUT! MAXED-OUT! MAXED-OUT! MAXED-OUT!"_

The cheers from our fans sent an adrenaline rush pumping and thundering through my veins. Jumping on the balls of my feet I gave myself a little countdown before we ran out on stage to greet the crowd. Bright lights and a gust of cold air hit us. I seriously missed this, the lights, the cameras everywhere, the screaming fans, the signs... the attention. I missed the ability to just belt out my voice right here, right now, and have everyone go wild over it.

I grabbed a nearby microphone and waved towards the crowd, "Are you guys ready for the greatest shows of your lives?" The response I got was deafening. I could feel my ego starting to rise and rise. "Well that's good to hear! It would stink if you paid a lot and got a pile of crap, right?"

All their laughter also reminded me of how freaking hilarious I was. Man, it was good to be right about everything.

Sasuke looked at me from the corner of his eye and raised an eyebrow, "Now why would you say that? When has MAXED-OUT ever given a bad performance?"

"Hmmm..." I pretended to ponder on that thought on a moment before the idea 'struck' me, "I'm pretty sure there was this one time when Jiraiya was drunk and decided to come sing with us on stage..." I shivered at the memory because it was _very _real and some nights I still have nightmares from that concert. It was pretty bad.

"Oh God..." See! Jiraiya's drunken ways scars everyone! "He's going to kill you from bringing that up again."

"You'll protect me though, right?" I blinked up at him innocently and wrapped an arm around his waist. No guys, this wasn't flirtation, it was fan service. Fan... service... come on now. Don't give me those looks. Fan service, guys!

Speaking of fan service, this went on for about two more minutes until we both jumped into the first notes of one of our older songs, _Tongue Tied_.

+MAXED-OUT+

"I think they want one more song, Raven."

"I dunno..." Sasuke and I were sitting back to back onstage. His head was tilted slightly back to rest on my shoulder. We were both covered in sweat and panting heavily, but the show wasn't over yet. We still had a little surprise after all. "Do we even have any more songs left?"

"We have six albums! Of course we have songs left," I cracked.

"Yeah, but can we remember _half _of them?"

"... Good point. Then what do you suggest, man?"

"We've been working on that one song lately..."

I feigned shock, "You're crazy! Not _that _song, right?"

Sasuke nodded and eased himself off the ground. "We ran over the lyrics. We've got the notes down. Hell, we even know how we're going to perform it and everything. Why not give our fans a new song? They deserve it, right?" he asked the question to the crowd who all went ape shit over being addressed by Sasuke. I'd go crazy too, just on the inside... He turned towards me and smirked. I love his smirk. "You're outnumbered, Kit."

"Darn," I pouted as if I was disappointed and accepted Sasuke's hand. Stretching out the kinks in my back I said, "I guess that means we should bring out the piano as well."

"Already got that covered," Sasuke jogged to the other end of the stage where a big massive object—my piano obviously—was covered by a black drape. He ripped it off dramatically and the crowd fell into a hush as the blinding white piano was revealed.

"What a beaut," I whistled, causing a few spurts of laughter to pop up here and there. I glided over the piano and sat down on the bench. My sheet music was already there, along with a microphone. I scooted over slightly and patted the space beside me. "Come sit with your King."

Sasuke rolled his eyes but obliged anyway. "I can't wait for this week to be over."

"Oh don't be like that!" I slung an arm around his shoulder and pinched his cheeks, "The crowd loves our little game! Don't you hear the cheers?"

"Those aren't our fans. They're obviously robots."

"You're very insulting tonight, Raven. I think I hear a few hearts breaking! You gotta make it up to them! Here," I cracked my knuckles and played a few random keys on the keyboard, "I'll get you warmed up okay? This next song is the last one of the night, guys, but it's a new one that Raven and I both wrote for our new drama coming out next month..." the screams and questions shot off like fireworks after I let the cat of the bag. I could see Nigel getting his excited face going on because he was all red in the face and spazzing. Yup, we've done a good job so far. "I hope you all enjoy it! Here we go; _Notes & Keys _everybody!"

My fingers danced over the keys like ghosts. The beginning was soft and trembling, unsure of what to do, but as we progressed it grew louder and louder like the earth was splitting apart at the seams.

"_Scared of the world, I fell to the shadows. Crawling and shivering, weak and broken. Where was my strength? Where was the warmth? It all felt so cold, so dirty and wrong."_

"_I strayed a few times. It never felt right. I fell down even more, the bruises on my knees are the trophies of battles never won." _Sasuke came in. His voice was always powerful and easily controlled. He could kick out a high note or shock you with a powerful tremor deep and low.

I looked over at him as I sang the next few lines. _"Falling without wings, I thought this was the end. But then we found each other. Just a few souls lost in the stains of the world."_

"_Light came over us. Our hands were linked. We pulled each other out from the darkness, and entered a land of bliss."_

"_And then the warnings came..."_

"_Keys fell from the sky, one by one unlocking the ground and breaking up the earth."_

"_And my soul started to shatter the minute our eyes locked, and we knew the notes were warnings that we couldn't control."_

"_Can't we go back and fix the wounds we go back and fix the wounds we forcibly opened? We tried so hard and we fought so long..."_

"_Yet it all seems in vain, because our hearts were so blind to the warnings the keys gave and the notes that we played were nothing more but hollow tunes."_

We cut our voices off, as if they were too strangled by the emotions of two lovers coming together only to be ripped apart in the end. I finished my piano solo on a couple of eerie chords before sliding my hands off and resting my head on Sasuke's shoulder. I let out a ragged breath to add on to the effect and waited until the crowd went wild with cheers and screams for more.

Sasuke and I crawled off the bench and went to the front of the stage were we both took our bows. We even held hands—you know, fan service. Fan service, guys, _fan service—_before walking off the stage. When we were backstage, still hand in hand, Jiraiya ran over to us and grabbed us into a bone-crushing hug.

"My little moneymakers! You two brought down the house tonight!"

"We're human beings you know!" I protested while held in his death grip. Jeez, for an elderly guy he sure had one hell of a grip.

Jiraiya finally let us go by the grace of God and patted us on the head. "Whatever. You boys did great! Nigel was definitely pleased and I think we gave enough info away that when the commercials start to air in a couple of days, Japan will already be craving for more. Also," he dropped his eyes to our hands that were still connected... "your fan service was rather top notch."

We dropped our hands and acted like nothing happened, which nothing _did _happen—just so you all know. Jiraiya's paranoid as all.

"We're MAXED-OUT. Of course everything we do will be our best," Sasuke stated bluntly and headed off to his dressing room to get changed and head back to the Penthouse. I ran after him because, in all honesty, I didn't want to be left alone with a curious Jiraiya and half an hour later we were both cleaned of any make-up, changed into more relaxing clothes, and were heading out to greet fans and go home.

Fan greeting lasted about ten minutes because fan girls and fan boys were freaking psychos that wanted us to sign _everywhere_, and I mean everywhere, so we weren't able to make as slick of a getaway as we wanted to. We crashed into the backseat of our Hummer and let out sighs of relief.

"I never thought I'd be so happy to see leather seats before in my life!" I clung onto the seats as if they were my pride and joy and rubbed my cheek against the material. "Never leave me ever, okay Hummer?"

"Dobe," Sasuke pried me from the seat and sent me a glare, "you're embarrassing the driver."

"Sorry Jun!" I shot our driver an apologetic smile. He always has to put up with my antics and I'm surprised he hasn't said "Screw it" with his job and let me walk wherever I needed to go. He was a nice guy.

I'll buy him some cookies.

"It's quite alright, Uzumaki-san." Jun was an elderly man, probably around Jiraiya's age if not older, and had the biggest heart around. He was also pretty damn perceptive too. I don't know why I don't strike up conversation with him more. I really should.

The drive back to the Penthouse was spent with silence. Not the awkward kind we've been used to, but I think we both had a lot of things on our mind. Like how we were holding hands and how touchy feely I was today. It was nothing new, really. Even before our little progression I've done things like that unconsciously because it's in my personality to do so. But instead of me being repulsed afterward I've yearned for more. My stomach was burning and my hands were itching to just _touch _him. Anywhere, everywhere... if he wasn't going to start something then I'd have to take things into my own hands and I don't really want to have to do that. I'd rather it happen with both of our efforts instead of being one sided you know what I mean? But if I have to kick start things...

"Ne, Sasuke."

"Hm?" Sasuke turned his gaze from the window to look at me. I instantly found myself drowning in his eyes.

"U-Um... tomorrow... are you busy?" Fuck, I'm getting too nervous. Come on, Uzumaki, go be your blunt self and get this over with!

He cocked an eyebrow, "Why do you ask?"

"You know for a subject you're very sassy..." I muttered.

"Sassy? No. I'm curious as all."

"Well... I think we should go out! I mean... Fuck! Okay, so I have nothing to do tomorrow and since we're actually not trying to tear one another to pieces I thought we could do something."

My heart pumped wildly. I think I said that all in one really long and fast sentence.

Sasuke's eyes widened a fraction before dulling down to their usual blank slate of no emotions. Then I saw something spark in those onyx orbs I normally drowned in and Sasuke painted on his usual smirk he loved so much.

"Is that an order from the King or a request from Naruto?"

"Umm... both?" I answered sheepishly.

"It can't be from both. One or the other," I feel like he wanted me to answer this seriously even though his tone of voice was light.

I swallowed past the thick feeling of nervousness clogging my throat and looked him right in the eye, "It's a request from Naruto."

This seemed to appease Sasuke because he leaned back in his seat, closed his eyes, and smirked once more. "All right. But you're planning everything."

I didn't realize he agreed to anything until I looked up and saw Jun shooting me a thumbs up. It was then that my heart exploded and my mind race with ideas to come up with for tomorrow.

"Damn you Uchiha for having high expectations..." I muttered to myself as I made a mental note to call up Pein tomorrow morning for mission planning coffee and bagels.

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><p>Kay, so next chapter they "go out" c; WHO KNEW SASUKE COULD BE SO COMPLIANT. HO HO HO. Now, where will Naruto take Sasuke hmmm? Ideas... wondering... pondering...<p>

Speaking of pondering.. I have an obsession with the word "spirit animals" so I want to know what you all think mine would be! LOLOLOL. AND DON'T SAY PANDA! BECAUSE THAT'S OBVIOUS AND BORING. And I'll give you a spirit animal in return? c; WE CAN ALL BE LIKE THE LION KING AND SING SONGS AND THEN DEFEAT SCAR AND THEN HAVE SEQUELS MADE IN OUR HONOR.

Really, I'm just delaying doing my homework now...

Please review c:! I can't think of anything else witty to say!


	16. Dates of Declaration

Well guys let me just say that I've been deemed a monkey, a hyena, a platypus, a fox, and a baby sea otter :D OH THE VARIETY! I LOVE IT GUYS! I'm sorry if I didn't reply back to your reviews. I appreciate every single one of them but this week was really hectic with soccer and all. Two night games in a row ;A; So next time I promise to reply to all of them before my next update!

**Warning: This chapter is LONG. About 22 pages when I finally finished it all up. I didn't want it center fully on the date so we build up to it c; Also I have a surprise towards the end that I'll expect you all to love me for. Oh. Oh. And a surprise in the middle. Just get ready to love me for infinity to beyond. AND I'LL ACCEPT IT ALL. ALL YOUR LOVING. GIMMIE ALL YOUR LOVINNNN.**

**Is that a song? If not I'll make it one. MAXED-OUT BE PREPARED FOR A NEW SONG.**

**Disclaimer: I own my cramps. Sadly. Wish I could disown them. That would be nice.**

Enjoy guys. FREAKING ENJOY (:

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><p><strong>Chapter Sixteen: Dates of Declarations <strong>

Pein opened the door a crack wearing nothing but a pair of sweatpants and shot me a glare. "One minute; go."

"Don't act like you didn't know I was coming!" placing two hands on my hip, I stared my best friend down until he cracked—or at least jiggled. I would be happy with whichever one came first. Pein was a tough penguin to bake (my God that made no sense) so I stood on his doorstep for a solid six minutes and thirty-seven seconds before he fully opened the door and let me inside.

Ha! Winner!

My giant of a friend scratched the back of his shaggy orange head and yawned. Now let me give all you fan girls and boys who are reading on my thoughts details about my attractive friend. He's tall, really tall, as you all know—and single. I'll never understand that last part because Pein _always _had a human hanging off of him, and to be a bachelor at his age? It was unheard of. But whatever. If Pein had a boyfriend (or girlfriend, but that's illogical of happening) then he wouldn't have time to help me and _my _needs.

"You could have called."

"I _did_. Ten times."

Pein doesn't look convinced. You fucker, believe me! He walked over to his cell phone that was sitting on top of the couch and flipped it open. His eyes widened slightly, probably because he realized I was right since I'm always right, before he snapped it shut and gave me a look. Yes, yes, now morph that look into an apology and we'll be grand.

"You're such a fucker," he muttered and plopped on the couch.

I gasped, "Rude! I wasn't lying, was I?"

"You called twice, not ten times."

"There's something wrong with your phone then because I called you ten times on the way here!" The one thing I loved/hated about Pein was that he could read me like a freaking book, and tear me apart like one too. All he had to do was give me "the glare" and I cracked like a… cracker. "Okay, okay, so I _did _call you twice. But I was getting so annoyed with you not answering your phone!"

"Because I was sleeping," Pein adding in like that covered his actions.

Yeah no. You're under the fires of my Hell and I will burn you to a crisp.

And then apologize because I need your help.

"Okay, whatever, you were sleeping and I was impatient. Can we move on now?"

"I suppose," Pein smirked.

"Good," I sat down beside him on the couch and pulled out my handy dandy notebook. "All right, so as you know I'm going on a date with Sasuke today. I mean… taking him out on the town, and I have no idea what to do! His standards for something are freaking mutated compared to normal people standards!"

"Uchiha's are a hard bunch to please."

"Right? So help me out here! You're good at this planning stuff."

"Should I be helping you as a best friend or a business associate?"

"Why would you even ask that? What's the difference?"

"Well, as a best friend I'd tell you that, first of all, you're insane. And secondly that although Uchiha is a refined sort of guy he'd still appreciate whatever you do for him—especially if you're trying to win him over," he said, leering towards my direction. I whistled off into the other direction. La, la, la, I'm not that obvious~

"And as a business associate?" I'm pretty amused right now.

Pein crossed his legs and leaned back on his couch like he was the Pimp King, shooting me a very arrogant smile. "As a business associate I would first ask you what I profit from this venture."

"Wise, very wise."

"And then I'd give you detailed steps for what to do and how you should execute them. After that I'll have my little puppets chase you around until you pay me back if you haven't done so in advance."

"I never should have bought you those mafia DVD's for your birthday." I face-palmed myself for such a stupid mistake. Look what I'm doing! I'm corrupting the mind of innocent club owners left and right! Shame on me! Shame!

"No, you probably shouldn't have." Pein easily agrees. "But you did. So choose: best friend or business associate."

"You should know that already!"

"Business associate it is. I've been meaning to perfect my boss interpretation…"

I threw a shoe at his face after that. Points for me! I probably did more harm than good but oh well, Pein was detracting from the point. Smiling like the innocent angel I was, I plopped myself on the ground and put on my serious face.

"All right _best friend_, let's get planning shall we?"

Pein plied the shoe off his face and shot me a glare that would have shot any normal human being dead.

Good thing I'm not normal… well, in the _normal _sense of the word. Jeez, my puns are lame today.

+MAXED-OUT+

Our bodies were pressed together, drowning in a heat that I can't even begin to describe. Every move of his hips had moans tumbling out of my lips and sent my mind into a tizzy. He was enjoying this, seeing me lose so much control, I could tell.

"Nervous?" he whispers into my ear. His breath is so hot and raw… my body convulses and I'm yet again turned into nothing more but a pitiful, squirming, _moaning _mess.

"Am I that obvious?" I turn my head away, burying my face into the pillows. Nervousness is baking deep into my veins. I haven't done this in so long it's like I've almost forgotten how to receive and how to give pleasure. He's already noticed my shyness and reserved ways…

A soft hand soft hand grips my cheek and gently eases me to look his way. "You're beautiful."

"Shut up."

I can feel him smirking down at me. His lips brush mine, a feather's touch at most, and his arms wrap around my lithe waist, pulling my body even closer to his. "We don't have to go any further than this."

"Don't baby me…" I mumble into his shoulder. We both want this. I should get over my nervousness and fear and _do _this. But my body… it still remembers the pain of ages passed that my mind has seemingly let go. The memories are blocked but the scars and wounds still remain. Silo senses that. And I know he's taking it at my turtle's pace for my own benefit. This is just all so frustrating and...

He kisses me on the temple a few times. I can feel his heartbeat hammering against my naked chest. It's as erratic as mine. "If we take it slow then we take it slow. Right now, the two of us holding each other like this, I'm glad. I'm so… very… glad."

Tears threaten to spill out of my eyes. Maybe my defenses weren't so strong as I thought they were. Or maybe… Silo's presence in my heart was mighty enough to destroy all the walls I've built. With a shaky breath, I tighten my grip around his back and press a kiss against his neck. "Me too. I'm really, really glad…"

"My beauties! My gems! That was beautiful! Absolutely stunning! Now excuse me while I take a break to the little men's room!"

Nigel dashed out of the set to do… well, let's not linger on that dirty little thought for too long, kay? Everyone on set was applauding another great performance done by no one else but MAXED-OUT. Now on any other day—and in some other universe not deemed to self implode at any second—I would have milked up the attention like a starving baby lion stranded in Antarctica.

But no, nooooo. Nigel fucking Seguchi had to pick the _day _I had my "outing" with Sasuke to do a sexual scene. Okay, it wasn't sexual. Nothing was really touched, or assumed to be touched, we were in the process of getting things on when my character Haru starts wigging out in his own special way. Silo becomes a gentleman and decides to cuddle the night away instead. Bam, TV gold you've got there ladies and gentlemen. So now I'm sporting nothing but a speedo with Sasuke hovering a few inches above me trying not to pass out and die from the hormones mixed in with humiliation and nausea waiting to drown me.

I haven't gotten that close and personal with someone in _years. _

Now our date's going to be awkward and fucked up! I see it coming! I hope Nigel get's fucking blue balls in there because he just ruined what could have been the greatest stepping-stone I ever leaped on.

"You can get out of the bed now, Dobe." Sasuke's enjoying my suffering a little too much. Hell! He doesn't even look unaffected! He's calmly standing near the edge of the bed, _shirtless_, with his hands on his hips in the middle of cast and crew! Yeah, he's a man whore—don't get me wrong—but even the greatest of whore's have some shame, right?

Waiiiiitt….

"Don't wanna," I mumble and pull the covers as far over my head as I can. Don't get me wrong, I'm very happy to start doing scenes where the romance factor between Sasuke and I kick it up a few notches. But I was hoping they could come _after _I've made Sasuke mine and had my way with him forever and ever. Nigel has sucky timing for everything important in my life, as always, and decided to rush the process.

Seriously, if that man doesn't walk out of that bathroom with blue balls…

I hear Sasuke snort from up above but right now I'm more concerned about how small I can make myself before I have to do any more scenes. "We can't go out then if you're whining in that bed all day. Also I don't think the crew will be too happy with you staying there."

My head shot up from the pillow like a rocket, my eyes wide and mouth hanging slightly open. "Y-You… you _want _to go out with me today?"

Sasuke huffed and turned his face the other way. "I said yes, didn't I?" If I squinted hard enough I think I could catch the telltale signs of a blush coming on. Then again, I'm pretty sure if I squinted hard enough I could spot Hinata making the moves on a poor cameraman off to the side.

My eyesight's pretty fucking screwy today.

"Well I didn't think you'd actually be excited for it!"

"There's seriously something wrong with you…" Sasuke tugged me out of the bed in a very cruel fashion and left me to wallow on the floor while he stood above me and smirked. That beautiful little fucker! "I'm very hard to impress. So don't let me down."

He sashayed away and this time—I kid you not—I swear he was shaking his hips at me. Since when did this become a game of chase the Sasuke around until the crumbles? Shouldn't he chase me? I mean, he's obviously becoming more flirtatious enough, so I should try to make this a tug and pull sort of thing…

God, I think way too much. Pulling myself up from the ground I decide that a big cup of hot chocolate and some mindless hours wasted on Pokémon would make my uneasiness go away.

On my way back to the dressing room Nigel pops out of the bathroom looking relieved and not suffering from blue balls. Dammit.

"Did you have a fun time in there, Nigel-san?" Really, I can't hold back my hilarious prankster side even if I wanted to.

And normally I don't want to.

It's the first time I've ever seen Nigel look slightly embarrassed over something. His face got all cherry red and his green eyes lost a little sparkle. "Well, you know, just about _everything _in me is eccentric…"

"Okay. Okay. Okay. God. Ew. No. Just." I hold my hands up and let the horrible shiver crawl up and down my spine. "That was… I need a bath. A really long, long, big, scorching bath."

And maybe if I'm lucky I'll get Sasuke to come along and pretend to be my rubber ducky…

Or even kinkier…

My plastic boat!

Oh ho! Optimism!

+MAXED-OUT: Le Dating+

"Hair?" I run my fingers through my spiky blond locks a few time before I finally get them just the way I want them to be and smirk into the mirror, "Check. Clothes?" A spiffy pair of gray skinny jeans, a purple v-neck, a black cardigan, and a pair of white toms to complete the look. "Yup. And my wits?" I checked both my pockets only to come up with two quarters and some pocket lint. "Well… who needs wits anyways?"

"Talking to yourself again, Naruto? I thought we talked about it," Iruka was sitting on my bed having a field day over my prepping session. Seriously, he's videotaping me right now as I have inner-monologue with myself. I'll make a mental note to burn that thing when I get back.

Scowling, I shoot my mother a glare and almost, _almost_, flick him off. I maybe rude but I have class—and common sense to know not to purposefully piss my mother off. "Why are you in here? Can't you see you're making my nerves go haywire?"

"I thought I was helping!"

"So you videotape me?"

"Well this is a big moment in your life!" Iruka defended himself. "You haven't shown interest in anybody for years. And I don't mean that frivolous one hit and you're gone sort of thing, I mean real honest to goodness feelings. I know you keep a lot from Sasuke but I know _everything_, secrets and all, and this really is a huge step you're taking."

I glanced off the to the side, a powerful bite of nausea mixed with nerves attacking my gut as Iruka's words wash over me. "I know that already…" I think out of all the people that I'm close to only five or six people know what really happened to me in America, and all the dirty dealings that come into play with that horrible past.

Iruka, Kyuubi, Kiba, Gaara, Pein, and Jiraiya (for legal purposes). Everyone else either gets the door slammed on their face or the bland, vague, three-word sentence I say to the majority of the people who ask:

"America was shitty."

It pretty much sums up all my feelings right there and then.

A pair of warm, very much needed, arms wrapped themselves around me and held me tight. "You're very strong, Naruto; extremely so. Don't let what happened back then ruin your night out, all right? Also," he pulled back and smirked, "if you two come back and haven't become a couple yet I'm making both sleep out in the lobby again."

"You sadist!" I laughed and punched Iruka on the shoulder, "What would that even accomplish?"

Iruka shrugged. "It'll probably do a lot more than what you guys could come up with. That's for sure."

"I'm offended! My seduction skills are top notch."

"Oh is that so?"

"It's very so!"

"Yeah. All right. What color was your sleeping bag again? And did you and Sasuke camp out near the fireplace or the front desk?"

He's enjoying this way too much. Rolling my eyes, I grab my house keys, wallet, and my cell phone before bolting from the room. As much as I'd love chatting it up with my psychotic guardian I had a handsome raven waiting for me downstairs. To my surprise, Sasuke was leaning against the back of our couch—face turned towards the door so I couldn't gawk at his beauty like a freak—leaned over probably texting or tweeting or whatever.

I swear if he's texting some chick I will… most likely not doing anything. Fuck. I'm a pansy.

Standing there just staring at him makes my heart go all wonky. He used his special shampoo to make his hair fall into perfectly spiked up layers in the back. I know because he only uses it for important occasions:

Meeting his brother or performing a concert.

So knowing that he used said shampoo for _me_—okay, for our outing of sorts—made my heart freak out even faster than it already was.

Sasuke will be the death of me, I'm sure of it.

Okay, Uzumaki. Make yourself known. Say something witty. Break the proverbial ice that only you're aware of. I didn't have to do a thing, though, because as I was opening my mouth to crank out a greeting Sasuke turned around. Our eyes met. And his lips titled. It wasn't a smile. It was a tilt.

Shut up, heart. He didn't _smile_. He _titled_.

"Hey there," he's all spiffed out in a black blazer, light blue v-neck, and a pair of dark-washed and torn jeans. He finished the outfit off with his signature pair of black Vans. Unf. Vans. I love him in Vans.

I think I like him in everything. Not love, like—difference, guys, there's a difference.

"Hi," I smiled because, you know, I liked the world and all the people in it and I'm not always cynical and pessimistic.

I could feel his gaze crawling all over my body. Dammit, I can feel my cheeks heating up. This is cool. I love being subtly stared down. No big deal or anything. It's actually rather exhilarating.

I've become rather sarcastic lately. Am I the only one who's started to realize this?

Smirking—good, he's done eye-raping me—Sasuke stepped around the couch and jammed his hands in his pockets. "Just for clarification's sake, this isn't a date, right?"

I shrugged. "It _could _be."

"Hn."

"If you want it to be…"

"Never said I didn't." his smirk was growing bigger and bigger by the second.

"You're a very sassy date, Uchiha."

He shrugged and smiled—oops, I meant _titled—_his lips in a lazy sort of way. "I figured since you're taking me out that gives me immediate rights to a little sass."

"Tch, you won't be saying that when I hold out on opening doors for you."

+MAXED-OUT+

Okay, so I think it's time to give you guys a little insight on my plans, huh? Well yesterday Pein and I literally sat up till the crack of dawn planning what I should do. We went from extravagant five-star dinners to a day at the amusement park, local diner, and then movie night back at the Penthouse. Yeah, I just spoiled everything for you guys but… oh well.

I was never good at surprises.

So anyway, we based the theme on _Normal _even though Sasuke and I are anything but. I didn't want to do something he'd expect and go fancy, because that wouldn't impress him. Amused, but not impressed. He's like a cat that way. All finicky and cuddly and cute…

Good Lord, I just called Sasuke cute and cuddly. If he could read my thoughts right now he'd probably maim me. No, not probably he _would _maim me.

"You went all out with the casual look today." since the Hummer would attract way too much attention, and you know, I wanted to _enjoy _my time with Sasuke, I decided we'd take a trip to the subway. We had shades on and beanies to hide up the majority of our faces. Hell, we even had cover stories made up incase someone was a freaking Sherlock and saw right through us.

"We can pretend to be a couple." I threw in slyly about thirty minutes ago.

Sasuke cocked an eyebrow, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "Pretend?"

Did you guys hear that? That's a fucking innuendo times one million! I swear it is!

Anyway, cover story was simple: Just two guys experiencing the city like all male friends do. Nothing rainbow and awkward about that, right? Right?

We're screwed if anyone turns into a Sherlock.

The subway was packed today, which was a bonus as well as major stick up my ass. Sasuke wasn't a people person unconsciously. When he wanted to be he could have everyone bending to his pinky like that. But when he's being Sasuke Uchiha, normal, presumably rich, and downright sexy, he couldn't stand being near humans. It was funny as well as irritating.

Well, I couldn't blame him for being snappy during the ride. This family of five—four kids and one lonely mother—were causing a commotion near our section. The three brothers wouldn't listen to their mother and thought they were train robbers. Hell, one of them even tried stealing _my _wallet. The lonely girl couldn't be more than two years old and was crying up a storm.

If I wasn't as loveable as a panda I'd shoot them all in the face.

But I don't like violence.

Well…

Anyway, there's a bright side to all this crappy gutter stuff going on right now. Since said subway was packed and we were all pretty much herded like animals, Sasuke and I were forced to sit together.

Really close together.

Like buddy close.

Like buddies who have a secret close.

Like my shoulder was touching his shoulder, my hip touching his hip, our fingers actually _touching_, close.

Be still my failing heart! Be still!

"I hate people." Sasuke muttered under his breath, trying to wiggle himself into a better position.

You can come sit on my lap. That'd be nice.

Instead of my all too witty flirting, I smirked at him instead. "Being an international pop start sort of requires you to interact with people. Just thought you should know."

"Shut up, Dobe."

"If you're scared you can hold my hand."

"Shut _up_."

"I promise I won't let anyone make a go for your junk either." Though if it's _me _we're talking about…

Sasuke shoots me a look that would burn the average person alive. Good thing I'm not average! Rock on with my weird self! I'm in such a good mood I go for his hand but he pulls it out of my reach.

Pouting, I shoot Sasuke my greatest move—big, blue puppy dogs eyes. Bitches love the big, blue puppy dog eyes. "Come onnnn! What type of date are you not holding my hand?"

"A sane one," he huffed and turned his head away from me. "Now back off. All this contact is making me agitated."

My shoulders sag and my heart deflates. I feel like I've just taken ten steps back instead of advancing forward like I wanted to. Sighing, I lean back in my seat and watch the terrible foursome strike up Hell for their mother again.

Well, at least they're having fun.

+MAXED-OUT+

Even if Sasuke was being a total drama queen dipped in prick cream (oh, God, gross analogy) I still wanted to have fun. With him. Together. And no matter how much bitch he put into his corn flakes today, we were going to have fun today dammit!

"Rollercoaster first or a slow build-up?" I ask as we enter Disney World Japan. It was a pretty risky shot going here of all places where the chances of being recognized were pretty high. But I'm a daredevil, and this adds a lot more excitement to our date.

Also I'm planning on pulling Sasuke off into an alleyway for a breakthrough make-out if something like that occurred. Gotta look for the bright side in every situation!

Sasuke smirked and I could tell he was getting himself into the mind sight that yeah; I can be fun for once in my life and finally get that stick out of my ass. About freaking time, too.

"We have the whole day. Let's go through the stages of our childhood."

I smirked, seeing exactly where he was going with this as my eyes landed on the teacups. "Well, I'm seeing this pretty little pink tea cup with our names on it right… over… there…" I finish, pointing to the cup.

"I was thinking the dark blue cup…"

"Nope. Too late. I've already stopped listening to you." Grabbing Sasuke by the hand—ha! Hand holding! Checking that off the list of accomplishments—I dragged him over to the teacups and forced him into the bright orange teacup. Sasuke followed suit and fell on the bench with a little more animosity than needed to enjoy a simple children's ride. Seriously Uchiha. It's a teacup, a fucking teacup, let's not get our panties in a bunch over the color.

"You suck," he muttered as the announcer started doing his thing.

I smirked, "That I do, Uchiha. That I do." Hell, I even winked. Because I was on a roll. And I wanted to see how far I could push before boundaries break.

And knowing me I'd probably break them and not even realize it until it was too late.

Oh well. It's more fun that way.

"Go, go, go! Fucking spin the wheel, Uchiha! Spin the fucking wheel!"

"Don't you see I'm spinning?"

"Not fucking fast enough! I want to get off this ride and _hurl_!"

"If you freaking hurl on me…"

"Spin the wheel!"

Ten minutes later and I had successfully hurled, into the trashcan, and Sasuke tripped (haha!) once we stepped outside into the world of daylight and people. I wiped off my mouth with the back of my hand and shot Sasuke a glance.

"We took that ride like champs!"

"Says the guy who just hurled into the trashcan," Sasuke smirked.

"Coming from the guy who just tripped," Bam, Sasuke. You're cute but I will never let you win a game of wits. It's illogical. Illogical I say!

Sasuke's smirk instantly turned into a scowl. Hm, touchy today aren't we? "Don't talk about it."

"About what? Your _trip_?"

"What type of person would come out of that death cup and be able to walk straight?"

"A boss! That's who!"

Obviously, Sasuke.

Sasuke shook his head at me, muttering possible obscenities towards me that I could have easily hit off with witty quotes of my own. But we're wasting time! So much time! So I grabbed Sasuke by the hand again and drug him over to the merry-go-round. It just happened to be my lucky day because the only ride left on the merry-go-round was a two-seater horse.

My heart pretty much exploded after that revelation.

Sasuke tensed up before we stepped onto the ride. "There's only one horse left…"

"I can see that, Sasuke." I tried to keep my voice calm and leveled. Because we haven't really established what we have yet. I'm thinking that we're on the verge of being a thing and or, are simply staying as friends and are going out today to establish said friendship.

But my heart won't accept that. I _want_ Sasuke. I've finally admitted to wanting and needing him with me. I don't want to see him taken by anyone else. I want him with me, hand in mine, body with mine… Ugh. I need to calm down and breathe. One step at a time, Naruto. One step at a time.

"And it's a two-seater…"

"Nervous?" I grinned.

Sasuke snorted, "Not even close…" oh, oh, oh! Is he blushing? Is this a sign? Yes! Yes it is a sign!

Giggling, I tugged Sasuke along and sat on the back seat. "Here, you can even sit in the front and I'll act like the girl. Will that sedate your ego?"

"My ego's not the issue here." Sasuke huffed.

"Uh huh. That's why you're acting like a big baby. Now come sit up here so I can hold you! I command you! The conductor is giving us the stink eye!"

He totally was, by the way. One of his eyes was squinted so far it was shut and his other eye was wide and bulging. Or maybe that's how he normally looked and I'm more judgmental than I thought.

Needless to say, since you know I was still King and all and Sasuke was my subject, he got onto the front seat and adjusted himself so he wasn't awkwardly riding on a ceramic horse.

"Mind if I hold onto you?" my chin rested comfortably on Sasuke's shoulder as the merry-go-round slowly turned round and round.

Sasuke scoffed but he didn't say no. That was a plus. So I wrapped my arms loosely around his waist and subtly closed the distance between us until my chest was directly brushing his back.

"You're a nice subject to hold on to."

"Is that so?"

"Yup. Extremely so."

I wish the ride could stop, right here and right now. We'd be frozen like this, my arms wrapped around his waist, and I could put the perfect lyrics to create a story for this moment. This moment where, for a fraction of a second, I can pretend that Sasuke and I _do _have something more. That I'm not simply going out on a limb here hoping for the best. That I'll fall and he'll catch me, or I'll catch him, or we'll both fall trying to catch the other.

If something like that could happen between us, I'd be the happiest singer in the world.

+MAXED-OUT+

"Look at your face!"

"There's nothing wrong with it! Stop being so loud, Dobe!"

"But you're so cute! Look at you!" I shoved the photo in Sasuke's face and rubbed it allll over. We were sitting in the subway heading off from the arcade to go to this nice little diner a few minutes away from the Penthouse. Before we left the amusement park, I made Sasuke get on the biggest rollercoaster with me. It was the scariest two minutes and fifteen seconds and I'll probably never get it all back. At the end of the ride, we got our pictures taken and Sasuke's face was all scrunched up like he was constipated and… and…

Oh God, I'm losing it. I can't even right now.

Sasuke was fuming in his seat. The subway wasn't so packed this time around so there was a tiny bit of space between us. I'd fix that, of course.

"It's not that bad."

"You're right." when Sasuke gave me a skeptical eyebrow I shrugged and scooted a little closer. "It's not that bad. I just like to blow things out of proportion."

"Finally realizing it, huh?"

"I know myself rather well, Uchiha. Don't get me wrong, I still think you look very cute in this picture and I'll probably be bugging you about it for the next couple of minutes until we get to our next stop…"

"Your point?"

"Oh, I don't have one."

Sasuke slapped me on the back of the head after that. So I kicked him in the shins.

It was a love kick, a kick of love. I hope he felt all my love.

The train stopped and we all filed out. Kitty's Diner was just a few blocks away so we walked on down hoping that we wouldn't attract too much attention. Luckily no one even batted our way once. Okay, well a few girls looked Sasuke's way a few times but I sneakily put my hand on his butt to tell them all they could fuck off and croak.

"What are you doing?" he was more amused than anything else, the playful little bastard.

"Nothing. Just making sure you didn't steal my wallet or anything." I'm such a good liar. I should get all of the awards. Every single one of them.

"Because that's logical."

"Of course it is."

When we reached the diner we automatically chose a booth way in the back. I really liked Kitty's Diner because it was laid back with an almost home-like feel. The colors were deep blues and grays mixed with black. The lighting was dimmed so it wasn't overbearingly bright. And the booths were pretty private so Sasuke and me could have the whole time to talk and just be… us.

Or as us as two insanely popular J-pop singers can be. Oh ironies.

"Have you ever been here before?" I asked as a waiter dropped off our menus.

Sasuke picked up the menu and skimmed over it quickly. "I don't think I have, to be honest. I normally don't come to this sort of place."

"Dude! You have been missing out on so much!" Okay, so I know I make fun of Uchiha for being a rich prick all the time but come on. Come _on_. Never being to Kitty's Diner in eighteen years? No wonder he's anti-social as a turtle. "My friends and I come here all the time."

"Hn."

"You know what?" I grab Sasuke's menu and call over the waiter. He was a short guy with choppy blond locks and bright green eyes. "Can we both have The Blitz with a large side of fries and some soda? One Cherry Coke and one 7-Up, please."

"Certainly," aw, he even had the perfect little waiter smile. I smiled back and watched as he walked away. Yup, he was definitely a lady-killer. Or a man killer. Whatever got him hard. When I turned my attention back to Sasuke he looked rather… miffed.

Oh God.

"Do you gawk at everything that moves?"

Wait… wait… hold the phone… is Sasuke…?

"Are you jealous, Uchiha?" I ask, feeling my grin grow wider and wider with each passing second.

"No!" Sasuke hissed, throwing a paper napkin at me.

"Okay, first of all that's _rude_. And secondly you shouldn't even be mad! The only person I have eyes on is…" I stopped myself then. Maybe because I was actually going to admit I… you know… _liked _him. I don't think that should happen so quickly because, well, we almost kissed on Saturday and we haven't even talked about it _once_. I'd like to get that situated and over with before I jump the gun, you know?

"Is…?"

Thankfully, the blond waiter came back with our order and gave me a convenient scapegoat to use for a while. "Is… these French fries!" I pop a couple in my mouth and moan as the delicious taste of greasy fast food seeped into my system. Sasuke didn't look convinced. Hell, I'm not even convinced. But I'm currently conflicting myself and need a distraction.

Picking up a handful French fries, I shove them towards Sasuke's mouth.

"Eat up, buttercup."

"Fuck you."

"Aw, you didn't rhyme."

+MAXED-OUT+

"Okay… so we've got a choice between Dark Knight, Inception, Avatar, all the Pokémon Movies we own, or The Little Mermaid." I looked up at Sasuke, who was probably still stuck on why we even have the Little Mermaid in our vast music collection, and said, "Take your pick."

"Why do we have The Little Mermaid?"

I can be so right sometimes it's scary.

I shrugged and shoved that DVD back into its spot. "I dunno. I think Iruka bought it for me as a prank for my birthday…" The man's crazy, I tell you. Freaking psychotic, but he makes me good food so I let him stay around.

Sasuke's fixing up the couch and pulling out recliners, throwing around blankets and adjusting pillows so we can get comfy. If I have my way, by the end of the night we'll be cuddling and kissing and holding hands and cuddling… and… ehem. Getting ahead of myself.

Down, boner, down!

"I say we watch them all in one go. Starting from least intense to apeshit insane," I suggest.

"So Pokémon first and then Inception?"

"I'd say Dark Knight's a little more up there in the intensity department."

"Well, seniority overrules."

"Says the lowly subject boy."

Sasuke scowled, "I hate you."

No you don't.

"Uh huh," I pop in the Dark Knight DVD, deciding we'll just save Pokémon for later, and make my way over to the popcorn bowl sitting on the coffee table before moving towards the couch. Sasuke's already sits there in a pair of sweats and a t-shirt. I'm wearing the same thing, only I pull it off better. Or… wait… no, that's a lie. Sasuke looks pretty bangable in a pair of sweatpants.

Well lately I think he looks bangable in everything.

"I do."

"Okay," I sit down next to him and press the play button. My hand is halfway down the popcorn bowl before the previews even start.

"I'm not kidding."

"Sure."

"You're so annoying." seeing that I wasn't about to budge anytime soon, he huffed and watched the previews. Yeah. You watch those previews and try not to get bored with them.

I smirk slightly and shove another handful of popcorn into my mouth, "I make your life fun. Don't lie."

Sasuke snorted, but didn't say anything to that. So I'm taking that as acceptance. The movie starts a few minutes later and it's an unannounced agreement to shut the fuck up and watch Heath Ledger along with Christian Bale do their magic. It's all because this movie why Joker's my number one villain. Heath did a fantastic job of portraying his character and now I find myself quoting his infamous line whenever I get the chance.

"Why so serious, Sasuke?" Ha! Perfect quotation placement!

"Shut up or I'll punch you." He even made his voice all low and scratchy like Batman's. I was rolling for a good two minutes. It wasn't even a quote!

"Aw cheer up. This is a slow part anyway."

"It builds up to a good one, though."

"Yeah, but it's not happening _now_." Reason, Sasuke. Use some of it sometime.

A few minutes later and Sasuke was right. The action was picking up and with that my hand kept on meeting up with the popcorn bowl. I think they're in a relationship. I go in for my millionth handful of the night when my hand hits something that's not popcorn…

It's Sasuke's hand. How perfectly cliché is this? We both glance at each other and I'm ready to awkwardly laugh it off when Sasuke grips onto my hand. Oh shit. His gaze is smoldering and makes my body catch on fire. The movie's long forgotten now and all I can think about is Sasuke's hand on my hand and how this is all ridiculously cliché but I can't really care because Sasuke's holding. My. Hand.

"Um…"

"I said shut up."

Shutting up right now.

"You take me on this… whatever. A date. You tease me. Give me conflicting emotions and ideas. Then you fucking eye up that waiter at the diner. Now we're sitting on this couch and I feel like if I don't say anything we'll be stuck in the same damn rut we've been in for the passed week. So tell me, Naruto. That kiss Saturday… was it in the moment or actually _wanted_. Because if it's nothing I should worry about, I won't, and this… whatever… we have will be done."

His gaze pierces me deep. I feel like my soul's been cut with a katana. I didn't expect such a long-winded paragraph from him. Honestly, I didn't even know he was agitated. Normally I can pick up on that. But now… He's squeezing onto my hand so tightly. And I guess I can see where he's coming from. I've been nothing but confusing the entire time and anyone would be mad at that.

Sighing… I scoot a little closer till our knees bump. I look him square in the eye and squeeze my hand. "I'm sorry…"

"You should be."

"Let me finish, all right? Jeez. Anyway… that kiss Saturday? Okay, well. Let me back up. Uchiha, I don't hate you. I think I did once before but it was probably for a really stupid rason."

"Likewise."

"Shush! So I started to realize how _much_ I like you after we had that long talk Friday night. So then on Saturday when we almost kissed… it made me realize how much I actually wanted _you_. It wasn't for nothing. It's what I wanted…" I gaze at his lips and shiver a little, "What I want…"

Sasuke cupped my face, stroking my scarred and whiskered cheek. I instantly nuzzled into his hand. "So if I kissed you right now, you'd be okay with that?"

I smiled lazily and leaned a little closer, "I certainly wouldn't be against it."

Somehow our lips pressed together. It was clumsy at first, both of us not really knowing what to do. But then we started to move our lips together, and my arms found their way around Sasuke's neck while his found their way to my waist. He pulled me up against him I was practically straddling him. We didn't dear break off our kiss, too desperate for it to last as long as possible.

Because when we break apart I don't know what else to expect.

The need for air became apparent after awhile so eventually we did have to separate. Our bodies were still connected, though. I didn't want to let Sasuke go. Not when I had him so close. My heart was hammering and my breaths came out in short pants. Sasuke's hands tightened around my waist and I gasped. He smirked and I felt a blush creep on my face.

Damn you and your pervy fingers. Damn them all to hell.

"Hey… Sasuke…?"

"Hm?" his face is buried in the crook of my neck, lips ghosting against my skin. Another shiver racks my body, pulling my body even closer.

"You're a good kisser…" I'm mumbling crazy talk right now, but my mind's so hazy from that kiss that I can't even care right now.

Sasuke pulled back with a smirk on his face, "So I've been told."

"Don't ruin the moment…"

"I didn't think I was."

"Kiss me again?"

And he did. Multiple times. Each kiss stole another breath and by the end of it I thought I was going to die from bliss.

"Sasuke…?"

Sasuke's forehead is pressed against mine, his onyx eyes are smoldering. "Yes, Naruto?"

"I know… you don't want to fall in love again and that you've been hurt and all… but I like you. I like you so much. So please… give me a chance?" God, I think I'm on the verge of crying. I highly doubt he'd reject me now. I mean, come on, we've pretty much kissed the life out of each other on a couch. A _couch_. And to reject me now would just be crushing.

But I see it in his eyes; the hesitant waver mixed with the fear. He could say no. He could. He could. He could. My grip on him tightens and I bite on the inside of my cheek. Don't cry, Naruto. Don't you fucking cry if he says no and you're—

"Okay."

He said it. And I'm bawling. And now I can't even pretend we have something because he said… okay? What? I blink passed my tears and see Sasuke smiling at my stupidity and me. I stubbornly wipe my tears away and say, "Okay? I-I mean… you mean it?"

Sasuke smirked and brushed back a few of my tears. I sniffled. "Well yes. I'm not about to kiss you and then leave you hanging like that. I'm not that much of a bastard."

"Almost had me fooled there…" I laughed at Sasuke's attempt of a pout. It was cute. His bottom lip barely came out because it was like his body refused to make him do something that deemed weakness. "So, are we like… dating or… something?"

Here comes the blush again. Damn my awkwardness.

"I thought we could start from being fuck buddies and then…" my glare promptly shut him up. Good. Don't even go there or I will castrate you. "I'm kidding. Seriously. I'm kidding. Stop glaring at me like that."

"Your sense of humor is atrocious."

"But I'm your problem to deal with now…" he pressed our lips together again, and that's when I realized he was sealing the deal. We were together. In some way and shape of the word, I was his and he was mine.

And it all became legit on our couch while watching the Dark Knight.

* * *

><p>IT IS LEGIT! I TELL YOU! LEGIT! Somehow I just wanted them to have a date... but then this happened (; And I can't say I'm too displeased about it because this will just help me transition into certain things a lot more easier. SO FOR A FEW CHAPTERS WE'LL FOCUS ON ROMANCE AND THE AWKWARDNESS OF THE TWO, KAY? AND THEN I'LL THROW YOU SURPRISES! AND THEN. AND THEN.<p>

SEX? LOL. Possibility.

BUT AMERICA? Also a possibility.

I'll leave you two in the dark.

-turns off the lights-


	17. Iruka's Enjoying This

HONESTLY GUYS. This chapter is a filler. Not even a good filler. I CAN'T BE FUNNY TODAY AND I HAVE NO IDEA WHY. Dammit. I blame the Sims. They're tearing into my creativity with their needs... and their wants... and their fears... :I

**Warning: Iruka was right all along. Next few chapters will either be stepping stones; short and filler-ish that build up to the BAM. Or little cutesy/rough stuff that comes with this new relationship. Or maybe a mixture of both. Just know that America's coming soon... and it will play a huge part in this story (; Hehe. Foreshadowing.**

**Disclaimer: I own my Pokemon Black game. Still don't know whether I want to restart it or not... :L**

ENJOY YOUR FILTER! I'm off to... find my funny.

(CRAP! Somehow my paragraphs got messed up and the last few lines were added to my A/N. Thanks to **JoanIncarnate **for picking that out for me c: MWAH!LOVE!)

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><p><strong>Chapter Seventeen: Iruka's Enjoying This<strong>

When I woke up the next morning I was lying in Sasuke's arms, my body pressed against his, his chin resting on top of my head, and my head over his heart.

_Thump, thump, thump. _

I've decided that this is, by far, the greatest way to wake up.

I really didn't want to get up. I mean, would you want to if you were lying on top of _Sasuke Uchiha?_ Don't get any funny ideas, though. Because he's mine.

Hehe… I like saying that.

That guy Sasuke Uchiha? Oh yeah, he's mine; all mine.

I was in such a good mood I even giggled—and I admitted to it too—lazily drawing circles on his chest. If I could wake up like this every morning I'd certainly wouldn't be complaining. I'd probably see everything about the world in roses and glitter and sparkles and...

"Having fun there?"

Oh, Sasuke's a sneaky type of boyfriend. I see how it is. Eyes still shut but mouth formed in a smirk, Sasuke's holding back the urge to laugh. I see it in his face. He has the face of a person who wants to laugh at me.

So I poked him on the cheek. That's how you get a point across, ladies and gentlemen. "How long have you been up for?"

"Honestly... three minutes ago."

"I'm going to start taking this as you having a sort of creepy 'let's pretend to be asleep to see what crazy shit Naruto does' fetish that hasn't been revealed until... today."

"You're not making sense," he tightens his arms around me and has the decency to open up one eye. Good. I like his eyes. They're gorgeous. "So go back to sleep. Wake up a few hours later. And start talking again."

"Correction, _you're _the one not making any sense. Besides, if you were awake when I was awake, why not tell me?"

This time I get both eyes staring up at me, shining and dazzling—just for me. He shrugs and smirks up at me, "Maybe I just wanted to hold on to you for a little while longer."

"Awww," that line definitely deserved a kiss or two. Or seven. Maybe ten. He got eleven. "You're incredibly cheesy for a bastard, Sasuke."

"Compliment mixed with insult?"

"Nope," I kiss him again. "Truth mixed with revelation."

"Weirdo."

"I've been called worse."

We don't make any plans to get up from where we are. Honestly I don't think I can because one of my leg's asleep and it tingles like a fucking... jellyfish. Do jellyfish even tingle? What would be the plural for jellyfish anyways? Jellyfishes? Jellyfishi? Anyway. Back to Sasuke. I've noticed somethings about my self lying on top of him.

First of all; I like being around Sasuke. Secondly, I like being in his arms. And thirdly, I'm an addict to Sasuke's kisses. They're rather nice.

I might just ask Sasuke to marry me on this couch.

Of course, nothing's ever peaceful when it comes to Sasuke and I. Iruka chose the _wrong _moment to pop in on us...

"Oh my God!"

I had the urge to cover us up but then I remembered we weren't naked. Dammit! Why couldn't we have been naked?

Wait... that would make the situation worse.

Sasuke and I both share equally awkward glances. Well fuck. We didn't think we'd be discovered so soon...

Iruka's glaring _me _down, of all people, with his hands on his hips. "Naruto Uzumaki..." he turns his glare back to Sasuke. "Sasuke Uchiha..."

"I swear it's not what it looks like!" I quickly step in to defend. "We're just cuddling! There's no fuckery going on!"

"Well there could be..."

"Sasuke! Shut up!"

"I'm only speaking the truth."

"We haven't even hit that base yet! Now shut up or I will ban you from kisses!"

"The first day dating and I'm already on probation?" If Sasuke were the man to pout, he would be... hardcore right now. But he's a tough cookie. And so he scowls. That's also pretty cute.

"... I take everything back."

Another thing I've learned: I'm completely weak to Sasuke—ugh, eff everything.

"Guys. This is cute and all. Really. Very heart-warming, but I'd like to hear your explanation so I can confirm how right I am," Iruka grinned from ear to ear. God I feel like I'm about to pee my pants right now.

Sasuke scoffed and sat upwards, so now I was straddling his hips. This didn't help the situation at _all _but did Sasuke care? No! Because he's a fucking sexy prick that likes making things more complicated than they already are.

God, he's so cute up close.

"Iruka, whatever you're thinking I'm going to assume you're correct. Naruto and I..." he looked down at me and smiled. It was a tiny smile but it was reserved for me. "We're dating."

I smiled back and nodded towards Iruka. I couldn't really say anything because, you know, my heart was pounding madly against my ribcage.

I think I just fell for Sasuke a little bit more.

"Yes! I knew it!" Iruka ran up to us and gave us big, crushing hugs. When he pulled back I'm pretty sure he ruptured my spleen in half and caused some internal bleeding. "I so totally called this! I'm so happy for you both! This calls for dinner! A big one! With all your favorites!"

Iruka ran out leaving me and Sasuke awkwardly staring after him...

"If I knew that's all I needed to do to get Iruka to make my favorites I would have gotten with you a _long _time ago." Dude, I wonder if Iruka walks in on us making out that will make him want to give me a raise in my allowance or something...

I feel like such a freaking genius right now.

Frowning, Sasuke wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me close. "Don't think about using me for your own gain."

"Aw. Well there goes my world domination plan..."

"What?"

"Nothing!" I beam and kiss him again. Because, you know, I'm addicted. To Sasuke. And his kisses. And everything.

God, a day into dating and I'm already obsessed.

Iruka comes back and he's still grinning from ear to ear. I'm starting to fear my life a little. "Oh! Guys! By the way. If I _ever _walk in on you two fucking on my couch and or floor I will not hesitate to throw you out. Use the shower or something for that. It's a lot more kinkier. Dinner will be ready in ten."

I slapped my forehead multiple times, rubbing my eyes and erasing all the hot mental images Iruka just burned into my skull. "I seriously wonder how that man got so corrupted."

"If you really want to know you should ask Kakashi-sensei," Sasuke snorts and I fix him a look until he explains. "What? I accidentally walked in on them making out and it wasn't very... pleasant."

"You're bullshitting me! Iruka would have told me straight up if he was dating someone—especially our teacher!" Oh God! This means all those parent teacher conferences...

I knew there was something weird when Kakashi started asking for bi-weekly meetings. I'm not _that _bad of a student.

"This..." I drop my head on Sasuke's shoulder, "is madness."

"Sparta quote?" Way to take this seriously, dear.

"Not the time."

"Damn."

"But yeah... it was."

+MAXED-OUT+

Since I've just learned that Iruka was holding out vital information from me for the past two months, I decided to make dinner as awkward as possible.

This would be tough because... well... Iruka's the definition of awkward situations put into a human body.

"Naruto," Iruka looks up at me, chewing his food cautiously.

Inwardly I smirk. "Yes, Iruka?"

"I know Sasuke doesn't mind but I do. Please take your hand off his thigh."

I shrug. "Okay. If you say so."

"No! That doesn't mean you can put his hand on his crotch!"

"You never said I couldn't," I'm so good at this!

"I get it! You're in a relationship—which I saw coming, obviously—but rules still apply. No hanky panky allowed at the dinner table!"

"I bet you and Kakashi get into hanky panky all the time..." I let my voice trail off, because I'd like to see Iruka grovel for forgiveness since he held out vital information! If I had known Kakashi and him were an item I could have used that for my advantage a hell of a long time ago!

Iruka's fork dropped on his plate dramatically. Sasuke was mouthing the word's "You're so dead" but then again I had my hand over his crotch so he was kind of leering into it... weird. Anyway, Iruka blushed all ten different shades of red and actually looked _shameful _for thirty seconds of his life.

Well this is new.

"H-How—"

"Sasuke."

"Damn." Iruka held his head in his hands. Yes. Freaking sulk. You can go around and do your victory laps finding out I'm dating Sasuke—YES, I'M DATING SASUKE (feels damn good to say)—but I will not allow such fuckery as not telling me about your love life slip away!

Sasuke shrugged and calmly ate his breakfast like the end of the world wasn't happening right in front of his eyes. "In my defense you should have told him sooner. If you want to fuck Kakashi you can. Not like I care."

"But I do!"

"Naruto, eat your food," Sasuke gives me a stern look and right now I feel like we've just entered the "Honeymoon" phase of our relationship.

I wonder if that means he's expecting me to go underneath the table and...

Moving right along then.

Breakfast ends shortly with Iruka still feeling high and mighty over his apparent knowing of our getting together happening someday, but he has a bruise on his shin for not telling me about Kakashi.

You can't win them all.

So now Sasuke and I are curled up on the couch, again, wondering what in the hell we were going to do.

"We should probably tell Jiraiya about us," I open up, stuffing another stick of pocky in my mouth. "He'd act like Iruka and say he saw it happening all along."

"Hn. And Kyuubi will figure it out one way or another."

"Do you mind if I tell my friends? Not all of them—especially not Ino and Sakura because they'll hang me by my toe nails—but at least Kiba, Gaara, and Pein? They're my best friends and I'd really like them to know..." I intertwine my fingers with Sasuke's and give him my big, blue eyes spiel that people can never resist.

He caves easily. Really easily. Ha. I'm such a winner.

"Fine. You can tell them. But I want to be there." he grips my hand for emphasis and then he kisses me. I like that. Never knowing when or where I'll get a kiss, but knowing that he's acting on impulse or whim to do it... my heart flutters when he pulls back and puts his forehead on mine. "Now all we have to do is worry about the media..."

"Ugh. Don't talk about those Nazis." they're like Facebook. Once a secret gets out everyone gets into your business and your life, relationship, and career is over. "We can keep it on the DL... for a little while?"

"Are you okay with that?" Sasuke's surprised. And really, so am I. My heart wants to scream on top of a mountain that Sasuke's all mine and we'll be going hard all night (okay, probably not that last part... only for jokes), but I know what can happen to a relationship once too many prying eyes dig their way into it...

It tears apart. And then self-destructs completely.

As I tell Sasuke this I can see the relief melt in his eyes. Even if I wanted to go public, he'd be hesitant about it. He'd argue to. I can see it all. But that's fine. I can't expect him to put himself out there after all he's been through with love and stuff. Hell, I still have my own shit piling up in my closet to deal with.

We'll handle what happens with this relationship one step at a time.

Sadly, I doubt things are going to be easy for the both of us.

So I don't mind laying low for a while. We can share our own little secret from the world; Raven and Kit, members of MAXED-OUT, are finally dating. We can protect that secret with our lives until we're ready to come out with it.

* * *

><p>KAY GUYS. SO HERE'S WHAT WE KNOW.<p>

1) Naruto's pretty much addicted to Sasuke. But what else is new?

2) Iruka and Kakashi are together. Again. How is that not noticable?

3) Iruka is psychotic. But in a funny way.

4) Naruto doesn't like to be kept in the dark. BUT DAMMIT. THE DARKSIDE HAS COOKIES.

5) I still don't know whether or not to restart my Pokemon Black game... this is an issue ;A;.

So yeah guys. Sorry for this filler. It just happened. Next chapter I will redeem myself. I swear. I'm sorry if you didn't even chuckle. Ugh. Failure am I ;A;


	18. Classy Older Brothers

So I'm debating whether or not to give you guys a double update... (; I have eighteen (obviously) and nineteen. They're both fillers. I see ourselves digging into drama at chapter twenty. Probably even chapter 21. Maybe. Who knows. Depends on whether I want to torture you all that long or not (;

**Warning: Sasuke's POV. And it's short. ****It's probably not even humorous tonight. Well darn.**

**Disclaimer: Guys... come on now. If I owned Naruto Sasuke would have never left because he'd be too busy fucking Naruto. Obviously. It's the most logical solution.**

Enjoy c:

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><p><strong>Chapter Eighteen: Classy Older Brothers <strong>

Naruto's gone out for the day, apparently forced to suffer a shopping excursion with Haruno and Yamanaka. I couldn't begin to empathize how much "fun" he'll be having today. He also didn't shut up about the impromptu adventure for a good two hours and fifteen minutes.

I would know. I timed it.

"They're going to kill me!" he was in my arms—a place I liked him being in—and we were chilling out doing nothing; another acquired pastime of ours. We've been doing that a lot. Just hanging out, cuddling, and kissing.

I can't say I'm complaining.

Smirking, I poked him in the ribs. He yelped and gave me a glare, punching me on the shoulder. We also like to injure each other a lot. I guess that's how we show affection. "You're over exaggerating… as usual."

"If you knew all the shit they put me through when we're shopping you'd be freaking out too! So shut up."

Overdramatic, that's the word to describe him. Some days I don't use the word to demean him. His melodramatic ways brighten up my days. His drive to do everything with a lot of energy and determination is inspiring.

And it's rather… cute.

I kissed him, because I could. And when we pulled back he was smiling. His cheeks were a rosy tint and his eyes were half-lidded. My heart skipped a beat. These emotions… I don't think I've felt like this—so high and content—in years. And Naruto's made me feel like this. Made me feel like my heart was exploding. Made my thoughts go crazy.

Two hours after that Naruto was dragged away by the blond and her friend. I wasn't blind to the looks they shot at me.

If Naruto wasn't there I'm pretty sure they'd take the chance the pounce me.

Now I'm alone. Just got back from a jog, actually. I felt like a run would be a nice way to clear my hand and organize my thoughts. To put it bluntly, I never saw myself dating again. I was perfectly content living in a world where I slept around and never put my heart on the table for someone ever again.

And then Naruto came.

It wasn't immediate. Trust me, I hated him just as much as he hated me. But then I realized it was a blind hatred going on. Yeah, he annoyed me, but deep down I didn't want to brutally murder him, or something drastic like that. I admired him in many aspects. His determination and good nature towards everyone despite his dark past that… I still don't know about.

Rubbing the sweat off my face, I'm seriously wondering what could have happened in America. Naruto's open about a lot of things… except for the land of democracy. That one word is the trigger that turns the lights off for Naruto. He shrugs away everything and cowers into himself.

It's so unlike him.

I'd like to know for curiosity's sake and because… well, this is so uncharacteristic for me but I'd like to shoulder his burden for him. At least for a little bit. I have my own issues, mind you, that I probably won't be sharing anytime soon. But if the time came, and Naruto asked me to, I don't think I'd be able to say no.

My soul would be laid out for him to take.

"Damn emotions," the couch sinks under my weight and the coffee table creaks as I put one foot after the other on top of it. After that emotional and pondering moment I'm extremely bored. During this time of the day—when I wasn't dating Naruto—I'd probably contact one of the numerous girls on my contact list and go over to their house to… you all get the point. Now I'm scrolling through my contacts and glaring the names to death.

I can't believe I allowed myself to sink so low because of one, stupid, failed case of Love.

My finger hovers over Itachi's name. The bastard, I haven't called him yet. I should. I could. But then he'd become cocky and arrogant—well, more so than he was now. He'd gloat about how right he was and then ask embarrassing questions that I'd rather not answer.

However, if I don't call him _now _he'll find out eventually. And if he hears the news from someone else…

My thumb pressed down on his name without a second thought.

"_Ah, Otouto. Tell me how right I was this time. I'd _love _to hear it."_

"Fuck. You." Pressing the end button I jam my phone deep down into my pocket, ignoring the vibrations of my brother trying to call me back. He didn't stop until five minutes later when he shot me a text.

**From Itachi: **_In all seriousness here, congrats on your new relationship status. Bring him over to America sometime. I'd like to meet my new brother-in-law soon._

I had half a mind to break my phone. But then I wouldn't have a constant distraction from work.

Well… now that I can claim Naruto as my own, I can say his ass is enough of a distraction…

I think it's time for a shower.

+MAXED-OUT+

Naruto crashed through the doorway around four o'clock looking like he came back from war. His off-the-shoulder shirt that I plan to make him wear everyday now was dangerously close to dropping off.

I didn't mind, of course, because I got brief flashes of his nipple every time he jerked his shoulder a certain way. Sadly, I can't jump him… yet.

Slow steps, Uchiha, very slow steps…

Naruto collapsed in my arms and rested his cheek on my shoulder. My arms fell to his waist automatically. I've gotten used to doing that. My arms like holding him and my body likes it when he's near me; I've noticed.

It's a nice feeling… I suppose.

"Rough day?"

"I almost considered murdering them," he moaned. "I had the plan all set out and everything! But then my bloody conscience came in…"

I put on my best disappointed face, "Damn. What a shame."

Naruto cocked an eyebrow, breaking out in a small grin as he punched my chest without any real vigor. "You're such an ass to me."

I took that as my chance to kiss him, light as a feather. His lips were soft, barely chapped, and moved against my flawlessly like we were two puppets connected with one firm string controlled by the absolute rule of our master. When we pulled apart he was smiling up at me. His smile was contagious, and I felt the ends of my lips tweak.

God, his smile is so… brilliant.

"Well, at least you came back alive."

Naruto scoffed and pulled up his shirt. Damn. "Psh. Barely. I think at one point they drugged me…"

"You think?"

"The details are really fuzzy, okay!"

"Uh huh. Want to know about my day?"

"No. Of course not. Why would you ask that?"

"Now who's being the ass?"

Naruto pretty much tackled me to the ground. Straddling my hips, he leers down at me like fucking Simba. My breath is caught in my chest and I'm having rather inappropriate thoughts attacking my mind.

"I was only kidding, you know."

"Yeah. Okay. Sure."

"Sasuke!" Naruto whined and kissed my cheek. Oh God, we were becoming one of those overly affectionate couples. Ugh. Gag. "Tell me! What happened today?"

"Well… I called my brother."

"And…?"

"I hung up," I deadpanned.

"What? Did you fucking chicken out, Uchiha! I swear if you did I will cut you like a turkey and leave you to burn!"

"That was violent."

"This is a serious matter," Naruto glared me down until he thought I would cave. Of course I wouldn't cave. Who does he think I am?

Smirking, I flicked him on the head. "Dobe, allow me to explain myself. We—well, mostly it was on his part—made the pact that I'd call him when we got together."

"You guys talked about us getting together?" the light in Naruto's eyes grew bright and burning. He blushed a little and bit his lower lip. "That's… nice."

I smiled, "It was. He helped me realized that I like you, annoying ways and all."

Naruto chuckled, "That's all right. I had to figure it out for myself that I liked you and all your bastard ways. It was a hard thing to do."

"Hn. We're together now, though."

"I know," he smiled again. I love his smile. It's gorgeous. We kiss again, probably our billionth kiss of the month. I've lost track we've done it so many times. My heart raced, erratically speeding up to dangerous speeds.

This is insane. How can he drive me to such unstable places in a matter of seconds without even _trying_? Is that even allowed? It should be illegal.

"So that's two people down, right?" We're eating some random ice-cream concoction Naruto made up on the spur of the moment in the dining room. I think I'm eating an Oreo cookie… but then again I'm not too sure.

"Hn."

"Can I have more than one word, please?"

"Hn. Yes," I smirked.

That little act earned me a spoonful of ice cream on my nose.

Naruto giggled and tried to look innocent. Yeah. Okay. Because this piece of ice cream just happened to appear on my nose. That's totally natural.

"Jeez! Don't glare so hard!" leaning over the table, Naruto wiped off the ice cream from my nose and licked it off his finger. "You're seriously missing out on this. My cooking skills are top notch."

I snort. "When you're not placed in front of a stove, sure."

"I resent that!"

We spent the rest of the night camping out in the kitchen, because the bathroom was only a foot away and we had an easily accessible place for food. We even built a fort. Naruto's idea, not mine. Even though I can't complain because once we were under the sheets of the fort Naruto became rather… cuddly.

Yes. Cuddly Naruto is _very _nice.

"We should have done this _ages _ago!" Naruto sighed and pulled out his portable DVD player. I guess a night under the fort meant all-night movie marathon and not all-night make out session.

Damn. Well. I've been known to be stubborn…

"With what?" I raised an eyebrow as my eyes lingered a little too closely to his ass. Dammit. Restrain, Sasuke. Calm down. "Us or this fort?"

Naruto seemed to work that over in his mind a little before smiling at me, "Both." And then he kissed me.

Again.

For the one billionth and one time today, and once again… I can't really say I'm complaining.

* * *

><p>Nope. No complaints here.<p>

Kay guys, I won't be a troll and let you wait for chapter 19 c; I'll post in about an hours time so wait for it :D!

Until next time :D OH. GUYS. IF YOU PLAY POKEMON BLACK OR WHITE MY FRIEND CODE IS 4727 7329 1621. WE CAN ALL BE FRIENDS MAN. FRIENDS. FRIENDS FOR LIFE. Well, pokemon friends. and buddies 8D. Hehe.


	19. Seductive Spoon Licking

Kay guys, here's your mad early update (; Remember, don't forget to check out chapter 18 if you already haven't... because... it comes before 19... derp.

**Warning: Once again another fluffy filler, I swear I'll make it up to you guys next chapter! I actually have a fun, little sexy hurdle I wanna cross in the next chapter ;DDD. And Nigel will help me do that. WON'T YOU NIGEL?**

Nigel: Well of course, of course, of course!

YES! DIALOGUE WITH MYSELF! SUCH A WIN.

**Disclaimer: I OWN NIGEL. THAT'S ALL I NEED. **

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><p><strong>Chapter Nineteen: Seductive Spoon Licking Will Be The Death Of Me<strong>

You guys wanna know something?

I hate school. Not for the reasons you're all probably thinking of. We all know I don't have issues at school… well I didn't have issues _before_.

Now I'm dating Sasuke Uchiha, secretly of course, and I can't do a damn thing about it.

Let me explain.

During lunch he looks exceptionally gorgeous—even more so, if that's possible. Like, when he goes to eat his standard chocolate pudding cup, and the spoon goes in his mouth… oh God. And I swear, one day he licked his spoon seductively on _purpose!_

The fucking bastard knows I'm watching him and he just… he just adds fuel to the fire burning in my pants!

"Not fair!" I groan and slam my face against the table. I'm pretty sure I can hear Sasuke laughing a few feet away from me. I'll fucking kill him. And then I'll cry and bring him back to life only to use his body to my pleasure. Yeah. Yeah that's it.

Such chicanery should not be allowed at _all_ when I can't publicly touch him. Ha. Did you like that word? It's my new one for like… ever.

Ino and Sakura both pat my shoulders, even though I know they have no idea why I'm suffering—inside and out. And they won't know for a very, very long time… or until the secret comes out in some terrible, unexplainable way.

Whichever one happened to come first, I guess.

"Naruto, I know you want to be just as manly as Sasuke," Ino. You suck at cheering people up. Never become a motivational speaker. You'd make people cry.

"I mean," Sakura, I swear to everything that is beautiful if you don't stop right now… "I would be jealous too if I were in your shoes. Sasuke has it _all_."

"The looks," Ino counted off her finger.

"The money," Sakura, you'll lose that finger.

"The brains."

"The charisma."

"The penis."

"Whoa!" my head shot up and I had to hold back the instinct to lunge at Ino where she sat. "How would know how big his dick is?"

Ino waggled her eyebrows in what she obviously thought was seduction but it really wasn't. She looked like a twitching pig… in a good way. "I get around."

"Cough, slut, cough!" Sakura was failing the innocent look hardcore right now.

"What did you say, bitch? I couldn't catch it over your terrible gag session going on."

"Well I was just pointing out the obvious…"

Oh no. Here we go again. Ino and Sakura were about to throw it down like cats. Normally I would have found this highly entertaining and watch them go at it while munching on a bag of chips and wondering how I could upstage Sasuke through out the day.

But instead I was thinking about how I could get myself _alone _with Sasuke through out the day.

"Fire maybe…? Or I could pretend to have a seizure…?" My eyes glanced over at Sasuke's table again. The redheaded vampire was trying to suck out Sasuke's blood. I told him to wear garlic around his neck today but he thought I was being ridiculous.

Um, hello, I'm trying to save your life here! How in the fuck is that ridiculous?

I think I was glaring a little too hardly at her because Sasuke happened to glance my way in the middle of their conversation. My face flushed. His eyes got a little bit brighter and his lips tilted in that smirk I loved so much.

Okay, well all his smirks looked the same but this one was… I can't even explain. It had this feeling that we were sharing some really big secret that we couldn't tell anyone else.

Oh waaaaittt…

I found myself smiling back right in time to have Sakura pounce on the table to rip Ino's ponytail out. By that point I had to stop my Sasuke ogling and turn back to the real problem here…

"Hey! You bitch!" I held up my dented pudding cup and nearly held back the urge to cry. "You crushed my pudding cup!"

+MAXED-OUT+

Normally, when I stand by my locker I don't expect to be ambushed out of the blue because, you know… I have this sort of reputation where people are scared of me because I used to be a part of a gang and stuff. I'm totally hardcore.

And now you all must be thinking: "THAT'S IT! HE INDIRECTLY TOLD US ABOUT AMERICA! BLOG! BLOG ABOUT EVERYTHING!"

Well, that was all a lie. You should all know about my hyperactive word-choice by now. Anyway, I'm chilling out by my locker on the top floor. No one else is around because they all high-tailed it out of this place to enjoy the weekend. I, on the other hand, have a detention. One I don't even deserve!

"Freaking Deidara doesn't know how to take a damn joke," I slam stare into my locker pretending like I'm looking for something when in reality I'm wasting time until Deidara finds out I'm stalling. "Seriously! It's not like I knew the blue liquid was acid! I thought dangerous chemicals were green!"

"If this were a cartoon and not reality, then maybe that'd be true." A pair of arms wraps around my mid-section and I feel lips press against my skin.

Okay Sasuke, don't say hi to me like a normal person. Though I can't really complain all that much…

I turn around in Sasuke's arms and take a quick peek up and down the hallway before wrapping my arms around his neck and kissing him fully on the lips. "I thought what happened in cartoons applied to real life."

Sasuke grinned down at me and rolled his eyes. "Only in your mind, I suppose."

"My mind's a rather fun place. Come visit it sometimes. Though I warn you there are some areas of my mind you must never traverse!"

"Traverse? That's a new word."

"I've been expanding my vocabulary a little." Bitches love the sophisticated vocabulary. I took a step back because, you know, I really did have to get to a detention and if I wasted any more time Deidara would never let me see the outside world ever again. Sasuke was wearing his work out clothes so I'm guessing he has some time to chill out before we have to head out to work.

"It's proliferating rather nicely."

My only response to that: Giving Uchiha the "What the fuck?" look. This only makes Sasuke smirk like a madman who just won the lottery and keys to a fancy new boat.

"Work a little more on that vocab, huh?"

"Screw you, Uchiha! There's no need to show off!" Just because you got the keys to the fancy new boat doesn't mean you can parade it around like you're some tough shit.

You're cute tough shit, but no man… no.

Sasuke's smirk grew even bigger. "Well, in this relationship I'll be the one doing the screwing…"

"Shame!" I slapped my hand over his mouth and looked up and down the hallways. Oh, right. No one was here but you and him, Uzumaki. "Where is it?" I hissed.

"You can check my pants…"

"No! Don't even start!" I clamp my hand over his mouth at him and glare. I should really hurry this conversation up because I'm already testing Deidara's patience by running so late. "You've been teasing me nonstop all day! Pulling shit out on me like that spoon licking during lunch…"

Sasuke pried off my hand and smiled innocently, "In my defense, I can lick my spoon anyway I wish. You just happened to be looking at me at the wrong time."

"Your sense of logical is warped."

Somehow, in that demented mind of his, Sasuke decided it was okay for him to kiss me. Which it was but… come on now! I was raving! You can't just kiss me in the middle of a rave! It's not allowed!

So he kissed me two more times and I finally let him off.

"Don't you have a detention to be going to?" I was curled up in his arms, probably looking like a cat on catnip or something.

His words shook me out of my trance and I was bolting down the hallway with lightning in my steps. "Bye, Uchiha! Work out a lot and get uber sweaty so I can daydream about you stripping for me!"

"Weirdo!"

I stopped in my tracks and blew him a kiss.

Yup. I am a weirdo. And I am proud. I need that on a nametag.

+MAXED-OUT+

So, detention was fun. Deidara only flipped out a little bit. And by a little bit I mean only two tables were flipped today instead of four. When I finally came out into the world of the living Sasuke was outside waiting for me. He was leaning against the wall with his headphones in humming one of our songs.

"_My head's spinning. My feet are slipping. I can't keep this dance up forever."_

"_Giiiiirl," _he looks up at me as I come back, doing the thing that I do best: singing like a pro. _"I must have done something bad. Because you're driving me up a wall and all I want you do to is fall into my bed."_

"I think we wrote that when we were watching reruns of F.R.I.E.N.D.S." Sasuke smirked.

I grinned, "Was it F.R.I.E.N.D.S? I thought it was the Big Bang Theory?"

"It was definitely one of those shows."

"I didn't make you wait long, right?"

"Would you like a joking answer or a truthful answer?"

"Why would you even ask that?" my grin grew a little wider. God, Uchiha's like, funny without even trying! I sure know how to pick my men.

Sasuke shrugged, "I thought it would be nice to ask."

"And you say I'm the weirdo?"

"You are." I punched him in the shoulder for that. Damn him and his witty… wit.

We started to walk towards the parking garage were Jun would be waiting for us so we could head off to Miracle Studio. Along the way we joked and laughed and had a roaring good time. I've never seen Sasuke so animated like that, you know? Normally he's stoic and cheeky. Don't get me wrong; Sasuke won't burst out in laughter like I do. Or randomly yell like I do, either. But… I don't know. He's a lot livelier. I was so worried that once we got together it would be like I was the only one putting effort into the relationship. I was seriously proven wrong because, well… it hasn't been too long since we've been dating but Sasuke showed that something has changed between us.

And that makes me incredibly, extremely happy.

"Hey… I can hold your hand right?"

Sasuke's opening the door for me and I can see Jun waiting for us outside. He raises an eyebrow at me and I feel my face heat up. "That's a stupid question." He grabbed my hand, interlocking our fingers. "And since when do you ever ask for something?"

I blush even more and hold back my involuntary urge to kick his shin. That was funny before we dated now doing that would… also be very funny, but rude. Very, very rude. "I dunno… because… I can?"

Sasuke shook his head, a small grin painted on his face. "You are definitely the weird one here."

+MAXED-OUT+

"Raven! Kit! My precious babies have made it back to their mother safe and sound!" Once again, Nigel is always waving his drama bandana with pride. Today he's not so flashy, though. He's wearing a simple pinstripe vest, white button-up shirt, and a pair of slacks. Of course, he adds some color with a purple bow tie but this is the most normal I've seen him in all month…

I feel like someone died. Or is dying. Or is about to die.

"Nigel! Please don't tell me you're dying!"

Sasuke and Jiraiya fix me with equal looks of pure confusion. What! It's a legitimate exclamation to think! I am rightly justified to say such things to my director.

Nigel looks touched, and or amused, and or platonic (it's really hard to tell with that man some days) and nearly tackles me over in a hug. I swear he's crying on my shoulder and all I can do is shoot looks of help towards my boyfriend and manager while awkwardly patting Nigel on the back.

"Oh Kit! Let me tell you, let me tell you! The days are ticking and they're tocking and soon we'll be separated! The momma letting her little baby birds fly! I literally laid in my King size Neverland Dream Set bed crying over the thought that I'd never be able to work with you again!"

"Nigel… I'm pretty sure we'll be working on many projects in the future."

"Yes! But the future is so far awa—Hold on a minute." Nigel jammed his freaking nose into my neck and took a big whiff. I… I can't even… What? Okay. Violation, much? He jumped up and squealed for God's no what reason and now his sad tears were happy and psychotic tears.

Yes, Sasuke, you glare at him to death until he explodes. Tell me how that works for you.

"Uhhh…" I accept Sasuke's hand—ignoring the weird look Jiraiya and Nigel are giving me—and try to fight off the blush that always comes over whenever Sasuke and I hold hands. "Is there something wrong, Nigel?"

"Is something wrong? Is something _wrong_?" Yes, I think I asked you that same question ten seconds ago, Nigel. "More like is something, _right_! Kit, when were you going to tell me you just got a lover?"

"Excuse me?" Jiraiya would have chocked on his cigarette if he were smoking one right now. He shot me a look that clearly said if I don't talk soon.

"W-What makes you think I have a lover… or whatever?" deny everything in front of the crazy man, everything!

"Well, for starters, you have the smell of a young heart taking its first steps into the pool of romance and passion!" Nigel wrapped his arms around himself and shivered. Fucking shivered. I just got the chills.

"And secondly, you're still holding hands with Uchiha."

Sasuke and I share looks. Well fuck, older people are smarter than we expected. With a sigh, I figured we'd have to tell them sooner or later, especially Jiraiya since he is our manager and all. Nigel, well, we guessed he'd find out on his own.

And damn were we right.

"Funny story…" I gripped onto Sasuke's hand a little bit tighter, "we were going to tell you about it earlier!"

"Hn," thanks for nodding, Sasuke. That helps to solidify my point rather well.

"You guys do know the serious trench you've dug yourselves into, right?" Jiraiya asked. "I, obviously, don't have a problem with you too dating but this sort of relationship could either make or break sales. I do hope you guys are planning to keep things on the DL…" he gazes at both of us intently for a few seconds, "for both your sakes."

We nod wordlessly.

"We weren't going to go public with our relationship." Sasuke speaks up. "The plan was to only tell people whose opinions we actually cared about and then move on from there."

"Oh! Oh my! That makes me feel so important, babies!" Nigel gushed. I was getting pretty freaked out with his over-use of the word babies.

Since Jiraiya had no problems—though we promised we'd tell Kyuubi about what happened—all that was left after the shooting was to tell my friends about my latest relationship since it's been like… two weeks.

Well damn. They'll be pissed.

+MAXED-OUT+

"_Naruto. Hey. What's up?"_

"Oh… not much," I play with Sasuke's fingers idly as I wrap my way around the words I need. "I need to talk to you about something. Can we have an impromptu meeting at your place? Call over Gaara and you can start setting up the Skype chat with Kiba? This is really important."

"_Yeah. Okay. See you in fifteen."_

I sighed and dropped my phone in my lap. Sasuke was doing this wonderful thing with his hands were he'd run them through my hair to calm me down. I turned a little in his lap, gazing up at his chin. "I hope they won't be too mad…" I did wait a little over two weeks to tell them about my relationship with Sasuke. I'm pretty sure that'll get Kiba roaring and Gaara glaring for a solid thirty minutes.

"There your friends so I doubt they'll be too mad." Damn… his fingers… they're like, magic fingers… filled with magic. "And if they are and they don't get over it, well, that's their problem. Not yours."

"It must be nice to look at life apathetically."

"Hn. Can't say it hurts too much."

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><p>Live life like Sasuke and you'll be golden. GOLDEN I SAY. GOLDEN.<p>

Why do I randomly burst out into caps?

This can't be healthy.

CAN'T. BE. HEALTHY.


	20. Touches and Scandals

So I can't really say how some parts of this chapter came up... it just did 8D. Probably because I was in that state of mind... Maybe. IDEK.

**Warning: THIS. HAS. SMUT. IT DOES! I PROMISE YOU! A wee little bit (; Also, this chapter is the KICK-OFF TO OUR AMERICAN SAGAAAAA! WOOOOOOT! CAPS! CAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAPS! Also, Naruto tries to have a philosophical moment about... stuff. Nothing major. **

**Disclaimer: I WANT TO OWN KEVIN FROM U KISS. AND TAEMIN FROM SHINEE. AND ELI. AND KISEOP. AND JONGHYUN. AND KEY. AND -The list goes on-**

Enjoyc:

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><p><strong>Chapter Nineteen: Touches and Scandals<strong>

"So what you're trying to tell us here is... that you and Uchiha are dating?"

"Yep..."

"And you've been dating for the past three weeks?"

"Almost going four," Sasuke! I told you not to talk. These men will eat you alive.

Gaara and Pein both exchanged looks. I'm pretty sure they're planning my death as we speak. Pein was the first one to speak up. His eyes were burning holes in my soul and... yep, he was definitely shooting me to death right now. "You do know that Gaara, Kiba, and I are beyond pissed that you've decided to tell us this _now _instead of earlier. " Kiba's away on that movie I told you all about like, a bajillion ages ago. We're skyping with him right now. And I'm so glad he's all the way in New Zealand because if he were here, he'd try to strangle me by now.

But that's beside the point.

My gaze drops to the floor, guilt crawling up my neck. They were right, so very right, and they also have every right to maim me. I mean, what sort of best friend doesn't tell his best friends about the change in his relationship status? If Kiba, Pein, or Gaara decided to pull that shit with me I would have punched them. Maybe kick them while they were done. Perhaps even poke them in the eye. Okay, I'm getting ahead of myself but you all get the point.

Suddenly keeping my relationship with Sasuke a secret seems really, really stupid.

"I'm sorry guys..." I feel so damn pathetic.

I heard Kiba scoff and I didn't have to look up to know Gaara was rolling his eyes at me.

"_Naruto Uzumaki you are such a freaking son of a bitch."_

"I know, Kiba."

"_You can't just fucking keep us in the dark like that!"_

"I know. I know! It was stupid!" I try not to hide my face in Sasuke's chest because one... that's a sign of weakness—even though it's fucking tempting—and also Pein was not giving Sasuke the nicest of looks.

I wouldn't want to live Pein's apartment with Sasuke only having one leg... that wouldn't be very considerate.

Gaara sneered, "Well at least your stupidity doesn't stretch so far that you don't know when you're in the wrong."

"Sadly," no, Pein, don't double team with Gaara and gang up on me! "His stupidity covers to the extent that he keeps his three, best friends, in the closet about... Uchiha. Which, by the way," he gave Sasuke a rather uninterested look, "I thought you hated him."

"Oh, he did." Sasuke! Refrain from speaking! You will get shot! Obviously Sasuke sucks at reading eye-to-eye contact because instead of apologetically smiling at me he smirked instead.

He's seriously going to die now. I can't save him. This is all so dramatic!

"_Penalty!" _Kiba's throwing a fit now. He's tossing up chairs and I'm pretty sure he just broke a hotel lamp from what I'm seeing in the video screen.

I shrink a little lower in the couch, "I'll buy you guys gifts...?"

"Not going to cut it." Damn you, Gaara!

"I'm fine with an apology," Pein slides in coolly. Oh my goodness, he is my life saver. I will buy him a nice shiny benz—"But, you have to help me out in the club three days a week. Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. And you can't say no."

I wouldn't even be able to say no with how hard Pein was glaring at me. Also I think Gaara was holding a knife behind his back. Or maybe that was his cellphone. Either way he could cause the same amount of damage with both objects.

Sasuke, ever the non-helpful boyfriend, decided that he should add in a few last words. "So... are we done bashing on Naruto now? Because I'd like to know whether or not you guys approve of our relationship." Leaning back against the couch, Sasuke looked like the baddest badass around. He shot Pein one of his own, bored stares and said, "Not like I really care, honestly, but Naruto puts you three in high regards. So having your opinion counts—to him anyways. He already feels bad enough keeping it from you guys, there's no need to add salt on the wounds."

Remember when I said Sasuke was going to die? Well, I take that back. I'm bringing Sasuke back to life and I will make love to him a million times over. It will be romantic and fierce and we will most likely break the bed and...

Oh God, I'm gushing. That was just too sweet.

Kiba actually had the tact to look shameful—a little bit. Gaara scoffed, but you could tell the words hit their mark. And Pein... well, Pein was never a man of emotion unless you knew him well enough. Sasuke's words did the trick.

"_Uchiha... you're a bastard, and I probably will never see you as the good guy." _good thing Sasuke doesn't know how to look offended in front of other people. _"But for some damn reason Naruto picked you so we'll all have to live with it. Okay, I won't be too happy with it for a while."_

"Honesty—good quality." Sasuke, your humor...

All right, that was a little funny.

I shall not laugh!

Gaara and Pein say pretty much the same thing and I feel a little bit of weight come off my shoulders.

"However, if you hurt him in anyway I will not hesitate to hunt you down and destroy you." Pein warned. "And my word choice is not for dramatics."

Sasuke nodded. "Threat acknowledged."

"Same goes for me," Gaara had to put his freaking five cents into the jar too, I suppose. "Oh, and Naruto, as repentance I expect you to buy me Hershey's chocolate's for the next month or so."

"... That's not too bad..."

But then Gaara smirked, "The king-sized kind."

"Dammit!"

+MAXED-OUT: Four Months Later+

"Home! Finally!" I crashed through the door, a long day of school and then having to work at Club Cosmo really wears a dude out!

Sasuke poked his head through the door wearing nothing but sweatpants. Oh. Drooling now. He smirked and trailed a finger down his abs. "Home already and you're thinking indecently?"

Snorting, I threw my bag to God knows where and placed my hands on my hips. "What? Indecent? Me? No, Uchiha, of course not!"

"Uh huh," he pointed towards my not-so-subtle crotch, smirking even more. "Then what's that you got there?"

"My cellphone," I am the king of deadpanning!

Apparently Sasuke didn't believe my obviously true story of truthfulness because he closed the distance between us, backing me up into a wall. His mouth was on my neck immediately, giving me gentle nips and kisses until I was clawing at his back wanting more. Oh God... his mouth...

"Is that your cellphone I feel pressing up against my thigh...?" his breath danced along my ear, and I moaned. Shamelessly. Like the little whore my dick wanted me to be.

I honestly can't tell you when our relationship started to turn... physical.

Oh wait, yes I can.

Nigel. That's why. Nigel's the reason for this... this... the reason why Sasuke's massaging my crotch right now. Oh God...

It was the final week of shooting and Nigel was really excited for it. I didn't know _why_ until a few minutes later when he unveiled his greatest plan yet.

Sex. He wanted Sasuke and I to have fake sex.

At first I thought he was all kinds of crazy. Seriously, what type of person tells two guys to just _fake _sex? And then I remembered the rating for the show... and paled.

Sasuke was all up for it, in more ways than one. And... well, Jiraiya wouldn't let me _not _do the shooting because that would just be unprofessional. Sex wasn't anything new to me—sadly. Just that, I can imagine and joke about having sex with Sasuke all I want.

But to actually go through it...?

Fakely...?

Fakely's not even a word!

In conclusion, the scene turned out rather hot—sorry guys, no details about _that—_and... well...

Um...

Yeah...

Did I already mention about how Sasuke's massaging my crotch? I did? Well, now he's pretty much got my pants around my ankles with his hand down my briefs, stroking me long and hard.

"F-Fuck..." I bite down on his neck harshly, a really low moan coming out of me. I jut my hips to meet his strokes.

Sasuke licked around my earlobe, biting down on it softly. That really sends me moaning. My ears, neck, stomach, dick... pretty much _everywhere _on me was highly sensitive.

Or maybe it's because it's Sasuke touching me that my body's gone super-hyper and makes me moan over the littlest things.

Yeah, that makes sense.

He picks up the pace a little. And now all I can do is cling onto him as I rock my hips to meet his thrusts. He moans in my ear how hot I look right now... how much he wants to pound into me... and his hand dips to tease my balls as he bites my neck hard. I lose it and cum all over his hand. My orgasm rocks my body and I'm whimpering out his name all pathetic and cute like...

"Hm..." he examined his hand and gave it a curious lick. Ew! God! That's... that was so... hot. Okay. Yeah. It was hot. "Not bad."

I flush terribly and bury my head in the crook of his neck. "I miss the non-sexual you. At least then I knew I was safe from this... this... molestation!"

I could feel his chest rumbling against mine, his chuckling brushing my ears, as he groped my ass and pulled me closer. I also missed the subtle Sasuke. At least then he had tact! This Sasuke just likes me for my moans!

"You're over exaggerating."

"No! I'm not! I swear you jump me the minute I get in the Hummer! Jun may be a passive guy but I don't even think he can handle you and your liger moments."

"Liger moments?"

"Don't ask."

"Too late."

"Nope. Moving on. Also," I wiggled around uncomfortably, even though that only made Sasuke moan softly because... well... his hard-on was rather evident against my crotch and... um... moving on. "You're always thinking with your dick!"

"Not necessarily," he kissed me against the lips, playfully tugging on my bottom lip. "Sometimes I think with it."

Yeah, okay, because that's not the same thing.

"Oh really?" my fingers idly play with the back of his neck. I've noticed we've also somehow stumbled into the living room in our bout of passion. How that happened I have no idea. "Do tell."

"Well, I'm thinking that I'd like your hand working it's magic on me..." he purred, sliding his tongue in my mouth and really... I couldn't say no after that.

+MAXED-OUT+

Just so you all know, Sasuke and I haven't had actual sex yet. We just... touch. It's nice, I guess. I mean, I can't complain when Sasuke's pleasuring me. I've only been dreaming about that since, forever. But it's weird. Our progress hasn't even happened monumentally. There was no passionate kiss that lead to our next step. It just sort of happened. Is that strange?

I mean, if Sasuke asked me to take it to the next level where we're both naked and sweaty and clinging to one another, I don't think I'd say yes...

And yes, it has a lot to do with America.

Touching is one thing, sex is another.

Well, that's how it is in _my _mind. Don't judge me.

I can't even say if Sasuke wants to go that far either. He's had his own battles with love, obviously, and apparently the person he supposedly loved was his first, so I can see his hesitance there. That boy and or girl (he wasn't very clear on the sex) left a huge mark and that was going to take a lot of time to get over. Sure, he whored it up for a while but he reassured me over and over again that I was different.

"You're my chance to make things work; make things _right_." he whispered, kissing me on the temple.

It was really sweet during our horror movie marathon.

But now Sasuke's out, a variety show he has to star on he said, and I'm left alone in the Penthouse because Iruka's out with Kakashi and I'm thinking about us. About how we fit. We both have a past. It's been mentioned a bajillion times. We know that whatever we stepped into wasn't new but new at the same time. If that makes sense, which it probably doesn't. We're content with how we are. We go on dates that, in majority, are spent at the Penthouse. We're fine.

Sometimes I get frustrated, with myself and Sasuke. Sasuke has these moments when he distances himself from me. A certain trigger word or a phone call shuts him off and he never talks about _why_. Granted, if one person mentions anything about America I go the same way, but that doesn't happen very often. I don't know, I just feel like... my stomach's turning and clenching right now...

I feel like this little happy stasis we've got going on here is going to be wrecked.

Wait... wrecked is not the right word.

It's gonna break.

Yeah... something's going to come along and break what we have.

And I don't... I can't... my lip's trembling and my heart's hammering.

Losing what I have with Sasuke... it's something I can't even imagine.

+MAXED-OUT: A Few Weeks Later+

_BREAKING NEWS: Kit, the other half to the two-unit J-pop group MAXED-OUT, has been revealed to have a double life! Shocking story on the singer's walk with the wrong side!_

"What... the... fuck?" I stare at the big, red, bold headlines and feel my heart freeze in my chest.

This... is _not _how I wanted to start my Wednesday morning.

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><p>Well guys, the secret's supposedly out (; And not how Naruto would want it. I think the American saga is going to be lengthy. Just how I wanted it. Because I like the drama. And bitches like the drama. And ninjas also like the drama :D.<p>

Now I'm off to play some Sims 2 until I have to actually get off and do my homework ;D. Till then guys!


	21. Media Blows Everything Out of Proportion

**Warning: Okay, so the American-drama saga is going to be short chapters builiding up to the big conclusion of this section (; We'll be going over what happened with Naruto's past and what happened on the tour. I tried to be a little bit creative but uh... sorry if it's cliche D: Oh yes. This is dealing with some heavy stuff. Human prostitution and some things that children shouldn't do. So be warned. There's nothing in depth but... yeah. :/**

**Disclaimer: I'm absolutely boring today. It's a shame.**

Enjoy guys c:

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><p><strong>Chapter 21: Media Blows Everything Out of Proportion <strong>

This… could not… be happening.

But it _is_.

The magazine is lying in front of me, mocking me, laughing at me. I want to burn it and then laugh hysterically as it goes into flames. I can't… this is… my hands come to grip it shakily.

_Walk with the wrong side._

_Double life._

_Is Japan's biggest sweetheart really a fake?_

I feel like a thousand and one icicles jammed themselves into my stomach. Iruka's breakfast might be coming up for a visit if I don't meet a toilet soon. Shakily, I flip to the page where my "story" begins…

"Naruto Uzumaki, known to the world as Kit, may not be as innocent… as his persona claims to be…" I can't even read the rest. My eyes jump down to paragraphs, picks up words and phrases.

_Drugs._

_Thievery._

_Relations to mob._

_Murder._

_Rape._

_Prostitution._

My mind's reeling. First of all, I've only done… two out of those six, and those are the things I openly told the people that mattered. Relations to the mob? Where did they come up with that? If anything, my years in America were more of relations to a tyrant rather than the mob… When I look back up, Sasuke and Iruka are both giving me looks. Iruka is sympathizing. He knows the whole story. He understands how demented the media is. Who knows, this could be some whack job thinking he'll get a rise out of Japan's most popular celebrity for the hell of it?

Sasuke… I can't read his face. He must be confused. And if he reads the article…

Okay, Uzumaki. Let's be real here. Will people actually believe the crap in Linx anyways? Sure, it's one of the highest-read magazines out there but everyone knows a few of its stories aren't the straightest out there…

But then I drop my gaze back and one paragraph hits me in the gut; hard.

_For thirteen years Naruto Uzumaki adopted the persona, Leo. He was known in the darker circles as a thief and a seductress. He made his living selling his body and singing late nights at a club found in Downtown Manhattan. One source in particular stated:_

"_He sang like a canary; both in bed and on stage."_

Only one person has called me Canary. It's a vague memory, only because I've pushed it really far into the back of my mind, but… I crumple up the magazine, tossing it to the ground. I don't even realize I'm crying until Sasuke wraps me in his arms and wipes off my tears with a towel. After that I started bawling.

"Sasuke… I think you should take Naruto upstairs." Iruka offered. I'm still bawling, more out of frustration and anxiety than actual sadness…

I think the information's taking its time to process through my brain.

Somehow I managed to get upstairs. I don't really know how. I think in the middle of it Sasuke said, "Screw it" and carried me upstairs.

That was nice.

We reach our room in no time. Sasuke sets me down on the bed and I grab the nearest pillow I can find, clutching it to my chest. He walks around the room, not really looking at me. I feel like I'm about to throw up. My mind's reeling. That article… it was only one page with scattered details about my past. They were _accurate. _And that quote… The only person who's ever said that to me should be _dead_.

A few minutes later Sasuke finally sat down beside me. I went for his hand, intertwining our fingers together. I honestly don't know where to start. He wants answers but me…? I'm too shaken up. Where _could _I begin? It literally took me two weeks to tell Iruka the first part of my story. A month later and he finally got the big deal.

And trust me… that was _not _an exaggeration.

"Well…" Sasuke sighed and kissed me on the temple, "have you stopped crying?"

Unexpected, but at least he's not coming outright with his questions like I thought he would. I sniffled, shooting him a glare through teary eyes. "Yeah… I think so… Wait." I open my mouth and wail like a whale (ha, I'm such a rhymer!). "Okay. Now I'm done." I smiled cheekily.

Sasuke rolled his eyes, but he was smirking because we all know I'm hilarious. Hilariously cracking, damn, there goes my slightly good mood. "I've never seen you cry before," he points out randomly.

"I've never seen you cry before either."

"You could."

"Really?" I feel like he's going to come out with his deep dark secret where he only cries during something ridiculous like The Notebook or… The Titanic…

"Mhm. I have a really low tolerance for spicy foods so if you ever get the idea to sneak some into a meal…"

Well, that was definitely not expected.

Although I got a nice mental image of Sasuke bawling over a very spicy habanero pepper and now I'm rolling, literally. Tears are coming out and I'm just laughing and laughing. I think Sasuke was even blushing a little! Blushing, embarrassment!

"Oh God…" I wipe the tears from my eyes and rest my head back on his shoulder. "That… that was so funny…"

"Glad to know that you get cheered up from my misfortunes…"

I smiled warmly at that. Aw… Sasuke did that to cheer me up… I do feel better, not a lot but it's a start. I'll probably have to tell him now, minor details but uh… he deserves to know.

Sadly… I'm starting to think that if the news wasn't sprung in such a way… I'd never tell Sasuke.

I hold onto him a little tighter. We're sitting together in the silence. I'm ticking down the seconds, the minutes, maybe even the hours, until Sasuke finally asks…

"So… am I going to sit around long to find out the answers?"

My body stiffens at his words. They weren't icy but… I felt like if I didn't answer correctly everything would start to go downhill.

"Which one would you believe? Me, or the magazine?"

Sasuke shrugged. "I haven't heard your story yet, nor have I read the magazine's story either. I can't say I'm a fan of our media but… if you won't tell me, Naruto I _won't _know who to believe. Do you… do you not trust me?"

"No! Of course I do!" Not trust my boyfriend who lives in the same room as me? Um, of course I do trust you! I can see where he's coming from, since I've never told him anything. He deserves to know, Naruto. He freaking deserves to know… "It's just…" I play with a few of his fingers absentmindedly, "hard…"

"Then put it in a way that'll make it easy for me to understand."

"Without you hating me…?" dammit, I feel myself tearing up again. I don't think I could handle—no, scratch that, I _know _I can't handle losing Sasuke over this. America's my biggest stain. I've done everything I can to block out that part of my life. It's a miracle the people I have told stayed with me afterwards. You'd think that'd be an indicator that Sasuke would stay too…

But… I… I just can't.

Strong, muscular arms wrap around my middle and I'm pulled into Sasuke's lap. His head is on top of mine. His heart's pounding heavily against my chest. I think he's shaking. Or maybe I'm shaking. I can't tell anything apart anymore.

"I'd never hate you," don't lie to me…

"You could," I know you could. You did before.

Sasuke tilted my chin upwards and pressed a searing kiss against my lips. I felt myself melting and melting… he pulled back with the softest smile I've ever seen on his face. "Trust me, Naruto."

Trust you…

Yeah…

Okay…

"I was abandoned in New York when I was seven." The words are tumbling out of my mouth before I can stop them. "I lived in an orphanage for about a year until I got sick of it and started living off the streets with Gaara. I became a bit of a Robin Hood after that," those memories were nice. The orphanage wasn't too bad of a place if you didn't mind getting beaten to a pulp by the older boys, especially since I was so damn scrawny back then. "Gaara's story isn't mine to tell, so just know we were both grimy, dirty, scrawny, little kids who didn't know what to do with ourselves.

"Um… what else. Well, Gaara was able to get out of the city before I could. His grandmother came and picked him up, but she couldn't pay for three people to go… so I stayed in New York all by myself until I was about ten."

"What happened when you were ten?"

I swallowed. Ugh. Age ten was not a pleasant age for me at _all_. "At age ten I met Vincent. He was tall with wavy black curls and really, big amber eyes. He found me chilling out in the parking lot of a Wal-Mart smoking a cigarette."

"A cigarette, really?" Sasuke looked amused by that rather than shocked.

"What?" I snapped, "I was one hardcore motherfucker back then."

"Please tell me you've stopped smoking now."

"Have you ever _seen _me crave a cigarette? Don't worry, that's the least of the shit I put myself into. I quit after the first puff. But Vincent… he saw something… in me, I guess—that's what he told me—and wanted to take me in. Now I was just a kid. Left behind by his best friend with no family to call his own. Since this _is _me we're talking about I threw a fit and tried to stab him in the eye with a cigarette. He still took me in that day."

You know it feels really nice to have someone run his or her fingers through your hair while you're unveiling some heavy shit. Sasuke's a great listener, too. He sits through it all and hasn't made any negative comments yet. He hasn't run away either. That's a plus.

"Then… is that it? Vincent took you in and then he helped you get to Japan?"

"Now you're just adding on unnecessary information to the story. I'm… not comfortable… telling you the grittier details… but Vincent was this club owner of Pleasure. He had everything there from singers to… prostitutes. I started singing there when I was twelve. And then when I was thirteen I started…" I took another swallow. God, I can't even look Sasuke in the eyes. "Started to… sell myself. I called myself Leo and a few nights a week after I was done singing… I'd find myself in someone else's bed."

Sasuke's body tensed up against mine. This was it. He was going to throw me away. Our image is going to be tarnished because of my past that's out for the whole damn world to see. I'm going to have to drop out of the music industry and go back to the hellhole I was in all those years ago. Sasuke won't want me. Jiraiya won't want me. Charisma will kick me out… Oh God. I can't. I can't… I…

"Naruto… that's…" Sasuke shuddered, burying his face in the crook of my neck. "I'm going to find that Vincent bastard and kill him. Is he insane? Throwing a teenager into that sort of environment! Is he alive? Because if he's not, I'll make sure he wishes he was dead."

Wow… my overreacting was proved wrong once again. Instead of being mad at me Sasuke was mad at Vincent… He was holding onto me _tighter _instead of letting me _go_. My heart is on the verge of exploding, I swear. I bury my face into his chest and clutch onto him for all he's worth.

"That's really sweet… but Vincent's been dead for years…"

"_He sang like a canary; both in bed and on stage."_

Vincent was the one who started calling me Canary even though I argued Leo was a better name for me because of my birthmark scars. He was a psycho, a freaking lunatic, and thought Canary would be perfect for me.

He was the only one to ever call me Canary…

So… the quote in today's article…

It couldn't be…

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><p>Next chapter I will probably post tomorrow? Maybe? It all depends (; It'll also go more in depth on Naruto's past in America.<p>

So I hope you enjoyed this short little chapter! Who do you think squealed, hm? HMMM?

Wait. There's not enough evidence for that. Well. Until tomorrow probs? :D


	22. Thoughts On Edge

**Warning: Another update purely because I can (: This one is more like a... push-up bra for the other chapter. YES. YES THAT'S THE GREATEST ANALOGY EVER. OHEMGEE. There are little flashbacks that you all should be able to differentiate from. So yeah. Go hard or go home. Honestly, this is just a more in-depth of Naruto's childhood. A bigger peak to the full story c;**

**Disclaimer: I'm boring once again tonight. **

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><p><strong>Chapter Twenty-Two: Thoughts On Edge<strong>

How does a dead man write to a magazine staff? Unless they were full of psychics and weirdoes with crystal balls then it shouldn't be possible. Right?

Right.

Sasuke left me alone a little while ago, since I wasn't about to open up anymore than that. It was enough telling him the beginning part—and that wasn't even as bad as it could be.

"I'll come back later," he pressed a kiss to my forehead and left me after that.

I was blushing the whole time.

Now, I'll tell you guys the story. In depth, if you all want. I thought I'd be nice, since my memories are attacking me and if I don't get it out.

My parents were fucktards. It's harsh to say that but it's true. They couldn't handle their own damn problem so they left me in New York when I was seven. I haven't bothered to find out what happened to them ever since. Kyuubi said he'd tell me, but really…

That's closure I don't really care to have.

So yeah, seven and abandoned sounds like a Disney movie. They left me at the orphanage where I met Gaara. We had a lot in common. We were pretty much picked on by a majority of the older guys. We were tiny and scrawny. Oh, and yeah, we both wanted to get out of New York as quickly as possible.

"_You're bleeding."_

_I looked over at the green-eyed kid with a bloody nose. "Yeah. Well… so are you."_

_He smiled at me. It was really, really tiny. But… I liked it. "Yeah. I guess I am." _

We became best friends after that.

Seriously though, all dramatics aside, the kids in there were _mean_. Like, if I ever see any of their faces I'll punch them all in the face and kick them while they were down. The caretakers weren't very fantastic either let me tell you. Gaara and I did everything we could to manage in there but one night we couldn't take it anymore…

"_Gaara… can we run away together?"_

"_Now?"_

"_Yes."_

"… _Okay."_

We ran away when I was eight and Gaara was turning nine. It seemed like a brilliant idea at the time but after the first four hours we were starving and didn't know what to do with ourselves.

That's when our natural drive for survival came in. Our first steal was from a little bakery on the corner of 9th Street. The old man didn't even see it coming. After that we would always hit that same spot but we'd make the times sporadic so he wouldn't catch on. If we thought he was getting close we'd switch targets. This went on for a while until I was ten.

When I was ten, Gaara was eleven, and his grandmother came for him.

"_I'm so sorry it took me so long to find you." _

_She was crying, holding on to Gaara like he was truly her son._

_Gaara didn't even hug her back._

I wanted to go with them. He wanted to take me too. But, as you all know, his grandmother only had enough for _two _tickets back…

So I lived on my own.

It wasn't too bad. Once in a while I'd fine a group of kids living like I was and hooked up with them. It only lasted a couple of months. I didn't play well with big groups of people.

You all know what happens next. I turn eleven and decide that smoking a cigarette would be cool. You know, thug life and all. Found one by coincidence and got some druggie to light it for me. He was a cool guy, I think. Maybe.

So I'm sitting outside the Wal-Mart, gagging out my lungs, and along comes a man. He's tall, standing at around 5'9". He has shaggy black hair and piercing amber eyes. His smile was so warm that I couldn't believe it was for _me_. Now, I never understood what it meant to have a home. I never knew what it was like to have a parent. I never knew what it was like to be smiled the way Vincent smiled at me.

"_You look pretty young to be smoking."_

"_So? Fuck off!" I was hacking in-between sentences so it didn't sound as aggressive as I wanted it to be. _

_He looked amused than anything else. Kneeling down in front of me, Vincent plucked the cigarette out of my hands and snubbed it out on the pavement._

"_Come with me. My house is a few blocks away and you, boy, definitely need a shower."_

I took the opportunity because, well, I didn't get to shower very often.

Vincent's house was a large apartment flat with a huge balcony overlooking the city. I was amazed at the space, and even more amazed when he said he'd give me a free room and stay. I wasn't stupid, though. There had to be some catch.

"_You can start to pay me off when you're older." He cupped my cheeks and turned my face to the left. "Any special talents you've got?"_

"_I can hum pretty well…"_

"_Hum? Have you ever tried opening up your mouth and singing?" _

"_Nooo…"_

"_Well do it. Now."_

I started to sing a lot after that. I guess it's a little stupid to say I didn't know I could actually open my mouth, sing a few words, and make them sound… _good_. I thought humming was enough. Vincent seemed to be pleased. He was smiling the whole time. Two years later and I started to work for him. Singing songs when I wanted to. Singing turned into my passion in that place. Hearing people roar and cheer for _me_, for a scrawny little boy who just happened to make notes and words sound _good_ together.

It was such a rush.

Everything was so wrong in that place but I never _knew _it was wrong. Do you see?

This is getting really fucked up now…

So when I was thirteen some guy, I can't even remember his name… he'd try to flirt with me. A _lot_. He'd make a grab for my ass or pull me on his lap. He was never subtle.

"_You're so pretty," His voice was laced with alcohol. Great. A drinker. "What's your name, pretty boy?"_

_Vincent warned me to never tell people my real name. That would create ties, and in his place you were never allowed to have ties with people. So I smiled brightly and said, "Leo. The name's Leo."_

A few months later, that guy was my first. And before I even knew what happened I woke up and found a packet of money lying on the dresser.

I had no idea what that meant until the next day when I told Vincent.

"_Hm…" he leafed through the dollar bills, his eyes growing a little brighter by the second._

_I chewed on my bottom lip, ashamed to even make eye contact. "A-Are you mad…? I didn't try to! I swear… I… I didn't…"_

"_Hey now," Vincent bent down and brought me in his arms. He pressed his lips to my forehead and smiled, "I'm not mad at all. I think I've just found your other talent."_

My stomach's turning at the thought of how incredibly _naïve_ I was back then. At the time I thought I was doing Vincent a favor. I was paying him back for his hospitality by giving away my body. When I was fourteen it started to become something I was _proud _of. I flaunted around my power to have men drop to their knees for me.

And I thought that was going to be the way I'd live my life, selling my body, living with Vincent, being with Vincent, having all this money…

And then everything went wrong.

_RIIIIIIIIIIING. _

I rolled over on my side, slapping my hand around until I grabbed my cell phone. "Hello?" my voice was hoarse and scratchy. Ugh, that's not very professional.

"_Naruto! Finally you answer your damn cell!"_

"Sorry Jiraiya… I was sort of spacing out."

"_You don't have time to be spacing out! Have you been watching the news? The media is having a field day about your story!"_

Of course they are, because everyone in the media is a freaking vulture that eats the souls of poor defenseless humans. I pinch the bridge of my nose and try to find some positive light in this… wait…

Nope. Haven't found one.

"Yeah. I guess they would be. So, how much have you read…?"

Jiraiya sighed on the other end of the line. _"Kid… some of the parts… are pretty dead on."_

I swallowed. "Oh yeah… like what?" please don't let my voice be shaking. Please… please…

"When you got around to actually telling me about your past. Those parts. Everything else was pretty much bogus shit thrown in there to make the story more exciting but they got a majority of it right."

"Great… now everyone knows I used to be a whore."

"_Don't you dare start throwing a pity party for yourself, Uzumaki. This is not the damn time for that!"_

"Well what do you expect me to do?" I screamed. "We tried our damn hardest to keep this under wraps and within a day someone comes in and throws everything under the bus! My image is ruined! My career is over! I could lose _everything_!"

"_No. No you won't. I'll make sure of it. Charisma will make sure of it." _I know he's trying to keep calm for my benefit but I'm way beyond help now. _"We've been working with our contacts all morning to fix the situation."_

"There's nothing to fix anymore, Jiraiya…" I hung up the phone after that, my spirits utterly deflated. With a cry I threw my phone against a wall and slammed my head into the pillow.

I need to sleep. Sleep would be fantastic.

I only got forty-five minutes of sleep before Iruka came in telling me the boss wanted to see me.

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><p>Well guys, thanks for your reviews and I hope there's more feedback to come (: Who shall the big boss be? Hmmm (;<p>

I apologize now that this arc will be slow with short chapters, but the mroe the merrier right guys? RIGHT? Woot. YEAH. OPTIMISM. I spelled that wrong. Probs.


	23. What's Next?

I need to stop this madness where I update constantly in a week. It can't be healthy (; Can't be healthy at allll.

**Warning: Short and sweet.**

**Disclaimer: Derp. Nothing. I feel like writing some smut though... /OPENS UP A NEW DOCUMENT **

ENJOY c:

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><p><strong>Chapter Twenty-Three: What's Next?<strong>

"Stop fidgeting."

Fidgeting? Me? Never, Sasuke. I shoot Sasuke a pout. "I'm not fidgeting."

Sasuke rolled his eyes and tangled his fingers with mine. "You are. And you need to stop. Tsunade isn't going to be mad at you."

"Then obviously you don't know the old hag so well! She. Will. Eat. Me." About an hour ago we started heading down the main office where Tsunade was waiting for us. We took a shortcut because it was absolute madness trying to head out the usual way. There were cameramen _everywhere_. And I swear that bitch from that interview a while ago was there!

What was her name again…?

Nami?

Noe?

NamelessbitchI'dliketopunch?

Yeah. I think the last one was spot on.

When we enter the office my heart drops. The room is ten times colder than it is outside and I feel like I've been placed for an execution. I squeeze Sasuke's hand tighter, trying to keep calm.

"Naruto…" Tsunade casually swirled her glass of sake, dressed in her normal green robe and really revealing low-cut top. "Have a seat."

"I'd really like to stand, grandma."

"Sit the fuck down!"

She didn't have to tell me twice.

"You should really listen the first time," Sasuke whispered.

"Never!" I whispered back.

Tsunade was giving me the biggest death glare I've ever had the displeasure of sitting with. I probably shouldn't be pushing her buttons since she looked overly stressed, even more so than she normally was. She had pieces of hair sticking out haphazardly on her head and her wrinkles were creeping back onto her face. "I'm not going to pussyfoot around the obvious elephant in the room so let me make things clear. Naruto Uzumaki your image is in jeopardy. As you know, Linx—one of the most powerful magazines in Japan—has managed to dig up shit on you; really _deep _shit. Now I'm sure Jiraiya mentioned to you how we've got our staff working on who to blame, correct?" I nodded and Tsunade sighed, throwing her cup aside to down half her bottle. She slammed the sake down with conviction. "I like you, Naruto, a lot. Your one of my favorites here in the company. I know what you've struggled to get here and I won't allow some idiot thinking he has a pair of balls big enough to go at MAXED-OUT ruin what you've created here with Sasuke. We'll get to the bottom of this. We'll find the guy or girl who did this, and set everything straight."

If there was one thing I loved about my boss was that, no matter how eccentric she could be, she had your back. I really thought of her like a grandmother sometimes. "Thank you, Baa-chan." I smiled softly.

Sasuke's hand squeezed mine tighter.

She raised an eyebrow at the gesture—oh yeah, we haven't told her about _that _yet. Well, she knows now. She doesn't comment on it, though. "Now I'm going to have to ask you to lay low for a while. You too, Sasuke. Everyone, and I literally mean _everyone_, will be wanting your story. We're not giving them jackshit. Until everything's blown over, stay home. Watch movies. I don't really care. We'll call you when we get our next phase of attack."

"But Baa-chan! I can't just sit around and do nothing! I'll die from the boredom; I swear!"

"Tell that to someone who cares." Tsunade waved her hand dismissively towards me, turning her attention over to Sasuke. "I'll allow you a week break, Uchiha. After that I'll gather up some jobs for you to do that requires one person to go. I will not allow this scandal to hinder what we've created with MAXED-OUT, understood?"

Sasuke nodded and I felt a little bit of jealousy burn in my stomach. Okay, so yeah I'm pretty much a walking time bomb ready to explode once I put my face back on the social scene. But... but I could like... dress up in a chicken suit? Do some commercials? Something?

Tsunade's knowing glare towards my direction told me precisely what she thought about my rebelling thoughts: _No way, now shut up. _

… Her glares are really scary.

+MAXED-OUT

"It won't be that bad." You suck at reassurance, Sasuke!

I scowl, my eyes burning holes onto the really ugly wallpaper on my right. Wow... that is a _horrible _color for wallpaper. "Yeah. Okay. You have a week _off_. I'm basically grounded for a week!" Tsunade waved us out of her sight, urging us to head back so we can tell Mom about her latest ruling. "At least you can go do promotions and variety shows! I'm stuck at home being... a bum." Seriously, I think I'm on the verge of tears. Do you know how many concerts and interactions I'll be missing out on?

God, I hope the person who squealed to the world gets shot. Multiple times. I'll even pull the damn trigger if I have to!

Sasuke wrapped an arm around my shoulders, carefully steering me around a corner before my face decided to make love to it in a rather painful way. "You'll be fine. This will all blow over soon and you'll be out on stage, singing your heart out and reassuring our fans that the media's nothing but a manipulative group of people."

That sounded nice. The prospect that everything would turn out better in the end actually made my heart lift up a little... I stopped in the middle of the hallway and wrapped my arms around his waist, burying my face into his chest. "We're going to go through our movie collection a lot this week..."

His chest rumbled softly from his chuckling as a pair of arms wrapped around my waist, "Probably."

"We can have a Marvel hero marathon on Monday."

"Sounds nice."

"And then we can build that fort again..."

"I'll make sure to get bigger pillows this time."

"... Can we cuddle a lot?"

He pressed a kiss on the top of my head, "If that's what you want."

More like that's what I need.


	24. Stormy Letters

**Warning: Short, and leading on to the next part of our American drama c; ALSO! You guys learn about the tour c: La derp. **

**Disclaimer: I need more people to talk to. This is rather bad ;A;. **

Enjoy c:

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Twenty-Four: Stormy Letters<strong>

"No Gaara. For the last time I _don't _have any threes."

"_Well how can I know for sure? You could be lying to me."_

"That's because your paranoia is off the fucking wall!" Gaara called me earlier and decided that it would be a bloody _wonderful _idea to play a game of Go Fish... over the phone. Over. The. Fucking. Phone.

He's supposed to be the intelligent one here and he offers to play this sort of game...

No. I'm not even going to start right now.

Gaara scoffed, the sound of cards shuffling in the background played against my ears. _"You would lie to me, though. And I'm only trying to fix your boredom that you whined about for over half an hour."_

"Twenty-four minutes tops!"

"_More like forty-four..."_

"... Your phone is obviously broken and can't record time correctly."

"_If you're feeling okay enough to sass me then you really don't need me right now, huh?"_

"No! Of course not! Ugh, sorry man..." my head was going on another one of it's random headaches it pulls up at stupid intervals of the day. I rubbed my temples soothingly and took a deep breath. "A week's passed and everyone's _still _on the scandal! We're nowhere _close _to finding out who leaked. And Sasuke's the only one who can go out and do jobs, and those have started to decline in the past couple of days!" Crap. Here comes the headache. This is turning into one of those days where I wish I could go back in time and slap my younger self in the face.

Hard.

"_You don't think Vincent came back from the grave to ruin your life, do you?"_

"I'm about to..." I muttered darkly. "Do you have any sevens?"

"_Nope. Go fish."_ Damn. I thought I was close. I picked up another card while Gaara continued to talk. _"Uchiha knows the whole story, I presume."_

"A quarter of it..."

"_Not the whole thing?"_

"Well I was a little shaken up at the time! I wasn't about to unload all my shit on one night."

"_Understandable. You're going to have to tell him the full thing eventually."_

"... Sadly."

"_By the way, have you heard any news on your American Tour? I started to assume that the media would place two and two together and..."_

"No. Thank God!" The American Tour was absolutely dreadful and I guess I should tell you all why. So as you all know Sasuke and I went on tour in America (obviously). We were in Florida, first state on our stop, and I thought: "This is so far away from New York there's no way I'd meet up with my past here!"

Yeah. Well. I was stupid and wrong. But mostly stupid.

We were getting ready for a concert when one of my old clients walked in. Apparently he saw me and wanted to know if I still gave my services... I was buy myself at that time, getting a drink from a nearby vending machine, and told him point blank I had no idea what the hell he was going on about. He was a stubborn guy, though, and tried to pin me against the wall... Thankfully Kyuubi was there to come and rescue me. Not like I couldn't handle it myself but... the guy was seriously deranged.

And then for the rest of the three days we were there _he _was there. I can't even remember his name and yet he stalked me like it was day job! He started sending me letters and e-mails and videos... At first I sent him one really long one telling him where I'd like him to end up but he didn't get the message very well. Even after we left Florida he managed to find us and try multiple times to get with me.

Sasuke started to help me out then, hiding me away when no one was looking me and sneaking me off so we could actually get things done.

It was nice.

And really unexpected back then.

So yeah, our last stop was in California and that guy _still _wasn't getting the picture. We were singing our last song when he suddenly ran on stage. He looked really out of it. His eyes were glazed over, his clothes were a mess, and his hair was mad greasy. He told me how much he loved me. How much he wanted to be with me again. And then... when I said he was fucking out of his mind and needed to leave before security came to kick his ass out, he pulled out a gun... and shot himself.

On stage.

In front of a million witnesses.

Let's just say it took a lot of proverbial tissues to clear up the mess—literally too since the stage was a mess. That incident nearly lost us our fame over in the states but the fans decided that the only person to blame was the guy who shot himself, and not us. So we got out of that jam rather luckily...

But now if someone comes in and pieces two and two together...

"Fuck." I groan and throw my cards on the ground. I'm not in the mood for Go Fish anymore. Sasuke won't be home for another half an hour. "Gaara, can you come over? Call Pein and Kiba too? I'll round up Sakura, Ino, and Lee. We can like... have a party or something cool like that."

"_A party huh?" _Gaara hummed it over for a while. _"Yeah. Okay. Sounds nice."_

"Great. See you all in thirty?"

"_Make it twenty-five."_

Oh Gaara, your sense of time is hilarious.

+MAXED-OUT+

Pein, Gaara, and Kiba were the first group of cool kids to arrive—not that I'm surprised. They're always first to everything I plan. Because best friends are cool like that.

"I brought the alcoholic beverages!" Kiba crowed, nearly kicking my door off its hinges.

Oh God. This is going to be a wild night.

"Don't puke on the carpets like you did last time." It took me, okay, well it took _mom _two hours to clean up the last mess he made.

Kiba scoffed and set the beer on the coffee table. Dammit, that's gonna leave stains! He plopped down on the floor, popping open a can. "You doubt my stomach, Uzumaki!" Kiba chugged about half the can before clunking it on the table with a sigh. "That, is your first mistake."

"No. My first mistake was even _considering _inviting you here!" I throw a pillow at his face, wondering why in the fuck he thought he could put his feet on the coffee table like he _owned _the place. No sir. No.

"Hey! You were the one who said you wanted a party! And we all know that I'm the life of the party!"

"More like it's destruction," Pein muttered. God Pein, I love you.

After twenty minutes Sakura and Ino came over, both dressed in a pair of sweats and hoodies.

"What?" Ino screeched when all of us guys gave them the eyebrow. We've never seen them so... bummed out before. "It's a Sunday and it's a lot of work to look gorgeous day in and day out."

"Especially since this is you we're talking about," Oh Sakura, you are a trippy one.

Have I ever told you guys how much I love seeing Ino and Sakura go at it? Seriously, it should become a sport. Or a country... or a country with that sport!

Yep, this party was definitely a great idea.

Lee came in after Sakura and Ino duked it out—Sakura was the winner this time, but Ino swore vengeance soon!

"My friends! Such beautiful merrymaking is a site to behold! What a wonderful display of our youth this is!"

"Come pop a squat, Lee!" Surprisingly—or maybe it's not that surprisingly—it took a lot to get Kiba drunk. So while he was downing his third can of beer, he could still get away with focusing on people without crossing his eyes. He patted the spot beside him and waved a can in the air. "Drink the night away, buddy!"

"I'm sorry my friend, but I must decline! It would do no good for me to get intoxicated on a night where we get together, right?"

Kiba just looked at him. "You're a strange one, kid?" he patted Lee on the back and continued to drink himself away.

Lee's such a party animal guys. He's great.

+MAXED-OUT+

Around nine the buzz finally started to set in on us. Well, everyone but Lee, Gaara, Pein, and I. Like I said, I'm not a big drinker because, well, my whole childhood with the V-man revolved around alcohol. Besides…

Kiba drank all the cans.

"Ne, ne Naaaaruuu!" Kiba slobbered on my shoulder, a raging blush on his face.

Great, he's chosen me as his victim tonight. I patted his head and smiled easily. "Yes, Kiba?"

Kiba hiccupped, looking up at me with glassy eyes. "You're a cuuuutie!"

"Oh God," Gaara groaned. "The idiot's completely shit-faced."

"I don't know. I think he's kind of cute when he's not so obnoxious, you know?"

"You know what we should do?" Kiba sat up abruptly, swaying a little from side to side with the most ridiculous grin on his face. "We should bomb Linx! Yeaaaaah!"

Pein raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "And how would we do that?"

"Explosions! Woo! Boom!"

"Someone shut this kid up," Oh, Gaara's getting feisty.

By the way, Ino and Sakura were passed out in a corner… if anyone of you cared to know.

"My friend, we would surely get arrested for bombing Linx…" ever the cautious one, Lee at least had the sense to not support every damn thing that came out Kiba's mouth.

"Noooo we won't! Because, because… we'll be sneaky with the BOOM!"

"Go to sleep, Kiba." Pein suggested.

"Kay!"

Kiba dropped like a light.

I threw my head back with laughter. "All hail Pein!"

Pein smirked and took another sip, "Anyone could have said the same thing and get that response."

"Agreed," Gaara said.

"Okay. Okay. But I have to say that your face metal added onto the effect."

"Fair enough. I will admit that despite his stupidity while drunk his idea was not too bad."

"I could hook you up with explosives…" Gaara, I do hope you're joking. Wait. Wait no you're not. You're smirking… good God this is kind of terrifying.

Shaking my head wildly I decide that I should stop my psychotic friends before they get out of hand. "Guys, as much as I'd _love _that, you don't have to. Baa-chan said she's working on finding the asshole that did this and taking them out. In another week everything will be pushed under the blanket."

Gaara narrowed his eyes, lazily tapping his finger against the side of his beer can. "I doubt this will blow over in a week."

"Well not with that attitude it won't."

"Naruto, this is the _media _we're talking about. This matter will always be brought up unless you fully confront them on it. And even after everything's squared away people will remember."

"Guys… this party isn't fun anymore." I grabbed the near pillow and slammed it against my face. This is not good. Damn these men and their urge to ruin my fun with _looogic _and _reaaaalism_.

Well fuck you guys I'm partying in Narnia until this is over!

We all called it quits around midnight. Since Gaara, Pein, and Lee weren't as shitfaced as the others they offered to take someone home. Gaara took Kiba. Lee took Sakura (oh God that's actually kind of dangerous…) and Pein took Ino. The eeriness of my living room came alive when everyone was gone.

"_Whisper ghosts and rattled cans, I feel so small. I feel so scared." _I pull the blanket tighter around me. Sasuke's not home yet. He should be… he only had two shows to do tonight. And if he was late, he'd text me, right? I bite my lower lip, singing the rest of the words as they danced in my mind. _"What will I do when the whole world turns? Will you be with me? Will we stand together?"_

"_If that's what you want, then I'll be with you. I'll stand by you. I'll scare the shadows of your heart away." _

What…? I looked up and Sasuke was standing there, looking like a wave of annoyance just washed out of him the minute he saw me. He smirked tiredly and dropped his bag onto the ground.

"Sorry about that. Nigel wanted to see me after my shows were done. Said he wanted me to give you this since you guys probably wouldn't be seeing much of each other for a while." He walked over to the couch, sat down beside me, and gave me a note doused in strawberry and vanilla perfume.

Yep, that was definitely Nigel.

"I wonder what it says…"

_Dear Kit,_

_I know that this time for you is rough, so very rough! Those vultures do not know how to give the beauties of a break—trust me, I know! My deepest, riveting sympathies go out to you, my jewel! Please remember that the whole island of Japan does not think ill of you because of a few petty words! Your fellow cast members wait to see your smiling face once more! So please be strong for a little while longer!_

_-Eternally,_

_Nigel _

I think I'm crying. That was extremely sweet… and needed. I hiccupped, feeling the tears stream down my face. Yes. Yes I am crying. Sasuke pulled me into him and I rested my head on his shoulder, yet again drenching another shirt of his.

"Nigel's a nice guy," Sasuke muttered.

"The greatest…"

+MAXED-OUT+

Two days letter I got another letter in the mail. I thought it would be the start of the process where old fans and ignorant monkeys decided to send me hate mail for something that wasn't even their business.

Well. I was wrong.

It was a drawing.

A very, _very _detailed drawing.

It was of an empty birdcage with feathers littering the floor with pair of lion's teeth holding the cage in its clutches.

My hands shook and my heart was on the verge of collapsing.

"Please… No…" I flipped the little card on the back, just to see if anything was there…

A big, huge, V scarred it's back.

I guess dead men can write to magazine offices after all.

* * *

><p>So once June starts I'll be cleaning through my Fanfiction Archive, most likely deleting stories I probably won't be finishing in a long time. So warning there. Also, June will start my oneshot collection. I've wanted to do one for a long time but I always get distracted, so I'll use summer to start that up c: I was so inspired by Wynja's Teen Titans one shot collection and wanted to do one of my own for Naruto (; So yes. Just wanted to share that.<p>

Prompts and pictures, if you'd like, are welcomed c:

NOW THEN GUYS. ON TO MORE PRESSING MATTERS.

V-MAN.

V-DAY.

V-WEAR.

V...SHAKE.

Ehem. Guys. Shit just got real.


	25. Cages Trapped In Jaws

**Warning: Smut with drama! HOHOHO. I'm working on Chapter 26 as I type... while abusing my new tumblr blog abstract-insanity... while trying to come up with ideas for oneshots. My mind is fryyyyyying ;A;**

**Disclaimer: I OWN MAXED-OUT. THE GROUP. CHYEAAAAH BUDDIE. WHO WANTS A T-SHIRT?**

Enjoy c;

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><p><strong>Chapter Twenty-Five: Cages Trapped In Jaws<strong>

I threw the letter in the trash later. I'm debating whether to light it on fire. But Iruka wouldn't really like me burning something in the Penthouse… again… I can glare it to flames, though. If I stare at it long enough… maybe…

"Fuck." My head's starting to hurt from all this glaring. Eight thirty in the freaking morning and I'm ready to go on a rampage destroying half of Tokyo. This… this is not okay.

"Naruto, you're awake." Iruka padded into the living room wearing a fluffy white bathrobe and a pair of panda slippers. Yeah… don't ask.

"Those are my slippers you're wearing!"

"Hm," he looked down at his feet. "I suppose they are." Dammit, don't blow this off casually! "Why are you up so early? Normally you're still dead up in your room till one in the afternoon if you don't have any work."

Iruka was glaring me down, not in a forceful way but more like... an urging way. He didn't push something unless it really mattered for him to know. And, either way, I would tell him _eventually_. Biting my lower lip, I decide to keep my emotions in just a little while longer... only because I don't want to tell him. Yet.

I kind of want to forget I even got that drawing in the first place.

"Naruto?" Iruka placed his hand on my shoulder, worry flashing in his eyes. Here comes my big shot acting skills guy.

I flash him the brightest smile I own and laugh away his unease. "I had this really crazy dream, Iruka! And in it, I saw myself becoming an assassin for NASA! Like, come on, NASA! No one would expect it! So that's why I'm awake so early. I'm off to find NASA and... you know... do my job."

Yup. I am a prodigy.

I think my story was so ludicrous Iruka just _chose _to believe me. I am winning all the time! Booyah! Iruka rolled his eyes at me. "All right. Fine. Lie to me. It's not like I care to know."

I will not let his guilt tear me down! Smiling even wider, I let out a tiny laugh that is waaaay beyond the realm of realness and merging with the rode of fakery. "Well, okay then! Now if you'll excuse me NASA needs me! Wooooooooosh!"

You always need a kick-ass sound effect when you make your exit.

+MAXED-OUT+

Two hours later I came down for breakfast. Well, let me start that over. Two hours and _thirty minutes _later I came down for breakfast.

Sasuke's apparently a major pervert once he wakes up.

"You know... if you really wanted me... in your bed... ahhh... so badly... you c-c-fuck—ould have... asked..."

Sasuke glanced up at me from his rampage of marking my stomach and snorted, "You have a point. I refuse to acknowledge it though."

That sexy son of a bitch...

He kissed lower and lower down my stomach, making horrible shivers jump up and down my spine. Oh God... I'm getting so hard right now...

"Horny?"

"Are you blind?"

Sasuke smirked and pressed his nose against the bulge in my underwear. Oh look at that, I lost my pajama pants in the fuckery melee... this is nice. "You're leaking..." he whispered, dragging his tongue freakishly slow up and down my length. I threw my head back and moaned. Oh good God, I feel like I'm going to explode...

He bit on my cock softly, sucking on both fabric and my covered flesh at the same time. I can't even explain. Can't. Find. Words. Where. My head's all a mess and sweat's clinging to my skin. I'm moaning silly, incomprehensible things right now and I can't even care.

"S-Sasuke... mouth... fuck..."

"You want my mouth on you? Sucking you slowly... and then speeding up... licking you everywhere?"

"God yeeeeees!"

Sasuke's a man who loves to please. My underwear said hello to the floor and Sasuke's mouth made best friends with my cock. He licked around the head in circles, kissed the tip, than sank down and swallowed my entire length. Whole.

"Fuck!" I exploded into his mouth, my hips gyrating and thrusting into his mouth. He milked me dry, sending shivers up my spine because of how sensitive I still was. Sasuke pulled off me with a _pop_, grinning at me like a wolf who just ate the three little pigs.

Whoops, I might be getting a boner again.

"That was rather fast." he teased, pressing himself back up against my body.

I pouted, "Shut up. Your mouth is magic!"

"I suppose." he licked his lips and bit his lower lip in thought. "I still can't get used to your taste. It's a little weird..."

"Oh God!" I flush ten different colors and turn my face away. "Please don't talk about my fluid taste after my orgasm! That's shitty pillow talk."

He smiled. "Whoops." chuckling, Sasuke pressed our lips together. Our mouths moved like puppets tied to strings. I nibbled on his bottom lip and he pressed his obvious erection against my thigh. "Mind returning the favor?" he whispered against my ear.

My hand was already halfway down his pants by the time he finished asking.

+MAXED-OUT+

So yeah, I finally managed to get around to breakfast today. I'm now wishing I _didn't _because when we got downstairs, hands all interlocked like the cute couple everyone knows we are, Iruka had the picture. In his hands. Picture. Hands.

Fuckery.

"Umm..." I think the temperature in the dining room just got ten times colder.

Iruka peeked up from the drawing, his normally tan skin a few shades lighter. "Naruto," he gulped and shakily turned the picture around so the big V was showing.

Sasuke nearly broke off my hand.

"What is that?" Sasuke was quick to take the bait. He dashed over to Iruka and snatched the picture out of his hands. I felt my heart slowly begin to freeze up as Sasuke studied the picture. It was a note, a warning. Clearly sending the message someone like Vincent would want me to get.

_You're still mine, Canary._

That's what I got from the picture this morning. It made my blood freeze and old wounds on my heart start to rip open slowly and painfully. Memories clawed at my throat, stung my ears, I almost lost it. And then Iruka came in, and I couldn't handle myself...

But now it's all out in the open.

From the bird cage, to the V, back to the cage, the V, this went on for five minutes. Sasuke finally set the picture down and froze me to the spot with his glare.

"When did you get this?"

"T-This morning..." my eyes drop to the floor. I know what was going to happen next.

"And it didn't occur to you to tell Iruka, or even _me_,that you got this letter?"

"I... wanted to take my mind off of it. To forget it ever came. I was going to tell you guys..."

"When, Naruto? When would you actually come out and tell us? A few hours? A couple of days?" he's holding back his anger. He could tear me a new one easily right now but he's restraining himself. The hurt's shining in his eyes. I feel the bridges of trust breaking a little, growing weak. I feel like I've been punched in the gut.

I would punch myself in the gut.

"I'm sorry..."

Sasuke looked like he was about to scoff but he held it back. Instead, he shook his head and headed off for the door. "I'm going out. I'll be back later."

The sound of a door slamming never felt so brutal until now.

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><p>How in the fuck did this happen...?<p>

/STARTS REBLOGGING PICS

/TRIES WRITING ONESHOTS

/STARING AT CHAPTER 26

Gaaaah. Fuckery. It's intense today ;A;

/Dies in a corner

Backslash all day. Reviews everyyyyday (;


	26. Canary

Sorry for not replying to reviews! I'll do better with that later on, I promise D;! I'm also sorry if this American Arc is dragging. I'm trying to slowly build up suspense and if that's failing... then bah ;A; I apologize for that as well.

**Warning: I'm a tumblr addict guys, and you should all follow me on abstract-insanity(.)tumblr(.)com ;D. Link's on my profile! BUT ON TO SERIOUS MATTERS. This chapter is fluffy and then veeeers to the left like a bastard cutting you off on the highway and takes an angsty turn! GUYS. IT'S BIPOLAR TO THE MAX! But it leads things off to the next big part of this arc c; **

**Disclaimer: I OWN NIGEL. NIIIIIIIGEL. ALL OF THE HOMO!**

Enjoy c:!

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><p><strong>Chapter Twenty-Six: Canary<strong>

Sasuke's been gone for three hours, two minutes, and forty-five seconds. I've been reduced to nothing but a sniveling mess wrapped up in my favorite blanket watching reruns of Housewives. Fucking _Housewives. _That is the ultimate sign of how low I've sunken.

When Sasuke left, Iruka gave me a very stern talking.

"You should learn to trust him, and me. If something like this happens you should tell us immediately. As your boyfriend, and me… as your _guardian_, don't you think we deserve to know these things?"

Oh, how the guilt burned through my stomach.

Now I've resorted to laying facedown on the couch, left with no more tears to pathetically wail out into the innocent black sofa. I noticed our sofa wasn't even that comfy. Well, it's not comfortable if you have your nose at least three inches deep, but… come on now? We spent how much for this couch? It can't be softer than a Kleenex tissue?

Good Lord I'm babbling.

I felt a hand touch my shoulder and I instantly thought it was Sasuke. Only when my head popped up like a meerkat it was Iruka… looking amused more than anything else.

Oh here we go. He's going to make fun of my appearance. I see it coming.

Iruka grinned lopsidedly, patting my shoulder softly. "I don't know how comfortable I feel seeing you try to make out with our couch…"

"The couch is my lover and whatever I want to do with it is my personal business."

"Correction, that couch is one I bought with _my _paycheck; granted to me by Charisma. Therefore, move your butt over so I can sit with you."

Oh. We're playing this game of wits, are we? I pout, crossing my arms in a defiant manner. "I don't think Carlos would appreciate that."

"Carlos… the couch?" Iruka raised an eyebrow.

"Carlos Carlitos the couch."

"For the love of God, Naruto. Move!" Mom wasn't a man of patience. He booty-bumped me to the other side of the couch and sat down with a satisfied sigh. "Ah, that's _much _better. Now then, your eyes are bloodshot. Please tell me you didn't spend the past three hours crying? Wait. That's a stupid question," Iruka frowned. "You _would _cry for three hours."

"If you're trying to cheer me up you're doing a rather shitty job, Mom." I mutter darkly.

Iruka scoffed but he managed to at least give me a somewhat sympathetic look. "I thought the rude, sarcastic approach would be best. Looks like I was wrong. Okay, how about the motherly approach?" he wrapped his arms around my shoulder and placed his head on top of mine. "Naruto, baby, please don't cry on Mother's couch. It's very hard to clean off stains and I don't want my beautiful blond bundle of joy to be so depressed!"

"God! Okay! Stopped!" I half-laughed, half-groaned as I tried to push Iruka's face from mine but failing terribly. Somehow the little moment of boy trying to dislodge face from face turned into an all out tickle fight on the couch. And let me tell you all something very important…

Iruka's a Nazi when it comes to tickling.

I'm literally on the ground _twitching _from that mauling of a tickling session. I bet Iruka's sitting on the couch looking high and mighty and like he's the fucking king of Metropolis or something. Well, I hope he gets a stroke!

Wait. No. I take that back!

I find some dormant energy to roll around halfway so I can actually look at Iruka while I talk to him. "You… are… such… a cheater…" I pant.

"But you're smiling, right?" Iruka smirked.

I touched my face… Yep. It feels like my skin's being stretched off.

Okay. So his Nazi war-tactics are effective. I do feel a bit better. Not so much self-loathing traveling around, attempting to knock me down. I'm not in big spirits where I can go run marathons, climb mountains, catch a fish with my bare hand but I can…

Make it to the fridge and back.

That should count for something.

Iruka nudged me in the side with his big toe a couple of times. "Sasuke's gonna come back soon, and then you can both cry to each other, gush about how wrong you were, and then have a make-up kiss. I'll even secretly photograph you two if you want."

"No… I don't think that lost part will be necessary."

"Suit yourself," he shrugged. I highly doubt he was going to listen to me.

The door opened a little bit later, and my heart stopped working. Good Lord… he was home.

Iruka gave me a pat on the back for good luck. "You'll be fine. Sasuke's temper is a little out there but he's not going to anything drastic. Be truthful overall and don't forget to apologize."

Yeah, easier said then done.

Iruka left us alone to "converse and settle our differences" as he called it. Really, it was more like "Sasuke was going to bitch at me and I was going to stand there and take it". And I will, obviously. I'll take whatever verbal slashes he sent me. Because I deserve them all for not trusting him enough with valuable information.

For a few seconds neither of us said anything. Our gazes were kept to our feet. I clenched and unclenched my hands multiple times, my heartbeat pounding obnoxiously in my ears. I Should say something. Do something; _anything_ to make this awkward silence pass. I can't find the words, though. A singer without the aid of words, how fucking ironic.

Come on, Uzumaki. Just say something! Apologize! Look Sasuke in the eyes and—

"I'm sorry." Sasuke had a terrible blush on his face. He absently scratched at his cheek, gazing back and forth between me and the nearby wall. "I think I overreacted a little back there..."

"N-No..." I reach for his hands which he, thankfully, accepts. Running my thumb over his knuckles, I try to take every groove and crevice to my memory. "I should have told you the minute I got the letter. I didn't tell you because... well... this week enough has driven me into a wall. I know I don't show it but I'm close to losing it here. And that letter..." I chewed on my bottom lip, literally grasping for straws here. Dammit words, where have you gone? "It's all a little too much."

Sasuke did the unexpected. He grabbed me in his arms and pulled me close. I gasped at the contact, blushing horribly at the feel of his hands gripping onto my waist so tightly. He pressed his lips to mine, the message he wanted to send received loud and clear.

_I understand. _

I think I'm crying again... fuck.

Sasuke tilted my chin up, wiping my tears away with the pad of his thumb. "Jeez, Uzumaki. You're more emotional than a pregnant woman sometimes."

"Shut up." I sniffed. Dammit, my tearing up is making my nose all runny!

"But it's cute."

"Uchiha, shut up!"

Sasuke smirked in that annoyingly handsome way of his and kissed me on the forehead. "Shut up for speaking the truth? That's a little harsh."

"Damn you..." I was blushing furiously now. I don't even think dunking my head in a bucket of ice water would cool this forest fire of a blush. "So you're not mad anymore? Because, um... if you are that's okay. Like I said you have every right to and all."

"I'm not mad, Naruto. I _was_ but I thought about it and I realized if I were in your shoes I'd probably do the same thing. So everything's alright." he smiled, the one that I knew only I'd ever get so see. I smiled back, not with the same brightness but it was the best I could do. Wrapping my arms around his neck I pulled Sasuke in for a long, very needed kiss.

"Hey," I breathed once we broke apart, "I'm kind of hungry."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Didn't you eat anything while I was away? It's way past lunchtime."

"Yeah... about that," I choked out a nervous laugh, scratching the back of my head. "Um. Well. You see. Funny story about that. I was kind of making myself acquainted with Carlos."

"Carlos?"

"Carlos Carlitos, the couch."

"... You know what. I don't really think I want to know." shaking his head towards me, Sasuke interlaced our fingers and started dragging me towards the kitchen. "I make a rather nice Nutella sandwich—your favorite."

"Yeeees!"

My God, I love this boy.

+MAXED-OUT+

After that Sasuke made me call Jiraiya and Baa-chan to tell them about the letter. They both promptly freaked out, yelled in my ear about how stupid I am, and told me that they'd be on the case as to where the letter came from so they could handle his ass.

I don't think I'll be able to hear out of my left ear now.

The rest of the day ended up being like how my whole week has been. Nothing but watching On Demand movies with my lover boy. One time we got so bored we started watching My Little Pony...

Yeah, don't ask about that.

Then Sasuke had to leave for work—the lucky bastard—and left me to fend for myself. The battle against boredom was a heavy and long battle. We lost a few good soldiers in that war. A shoe, a teddy bear, a build-a-bear unicorn...

Even with all these casualties, only one true winner could come out on top.

"Take that you dirty bastard!" I threw my last remaining weaponry, some random shoe I found lying around, and chucked it at the wall.

Wall; defeated.

"VICTORY!"

"Naruto..." Iruka looked up from his crossword puzzle and frowned, "this is sort of pathetic."

I slowly lowered my arms down to my side. "Shut up..."

After that I locked myself in my room to finally sort through all the feelings that I... feel. I grabbed up my notebook full of pages filled to the brim with random lyrics. Some of them great hits, others just... not as great hits. I flipped through pages ranging from love to happiness to depression to confusion, all the spectrum of emotions a human could feel, I think I've written for.

Today I'm feeling a little desperate.

"_I run, and you're there. At every corner... at every turn. Your chains are too strong. I'm trapped in you." _

Every single line brings a flash of Vincent. His smile, his eyes, his lies, his words, his... I swallowed past thought. A cold shiver crawled up my back. Vincent, the man who literally screwed up my life. He could have stopped a lot of things from happening. He could have kept my innocent mind safe. He could have, but he didn't. I used to blame myself all the time for the actions I did, because in the end I went through with everything. I didn't even know selling myself was _wrong _until everything went South Pole one night.

Vincent knew, though.

He knew all along.

I grip my pencil tightly, the next few lines easily flowing through my head. _"You've ruined me. Tainted me. Defiled my soul. Your nails have left lines, scars all over. They're the sign I carry over my head. The mark of a fallen child."_

My cell starts to ring. I automatically assume it's Jiraiya and pick it up.

"Talk to me," I randomly scribble down another set of lines, crossing them out to replace them with better words.

"_Ah, that beautiful tenor voice hasn't changed one bit, Canary."_

This is the dramatic part with the hero drops his phone on the bed in pure shock. The hero's heart would slowly start to freeze over with fear. He'd hear the other voice cackle hysterically at the reaction and then continue to verbally attack and attack the hero until he was nothing more but a whimpering, withering mess.

To my defense I'm not a whimperer—I'm more of a whiner.

The room felt like it was ten times smaller than it normally is. I should hang up. Press the _END _button. Then I'll call every single fucking person I can to come help me kill this bastard. Rage and fear and desperation and the painful sting of memories are all combating against me at once. The room's spinning and my finger's shaking over the red button...

Instead I pick it up.

"Vincent... how did you get this number?"

"_The same way I got your address."_

Someone leaked. Vincent was the type of guy who subtly gloated about his minor victories. Only you'd never be able to see the gloating behind his sarcasm and vagueness unless you _knew _him.

Sadly... I knew that man all too well.

"That's nice. Now get the fuck out of my life." I don't know how I'm keeping my voice so calm right now but I praise God for every minute my voice doesn't crack.

"_My, my, the little bird's got some language now huh? You little bitch."_

Another thing about Vincent—he was a gentleman with a sailor's mouth.

"Yeah. Yeah I do. I'm also a rather happy and successful 'little bitch' without you trying to come up here and fuck with my life! You're supposed to be dead... Who the heck brought you back from Hell?"

"_Obviously I'm not. But, to play along with your stupidity, if I were to have come back from Hell you'd be my driving force..."_

Bile slowly climbed up my throat. Vincent was doing his thing where he'd dropped his voice a few octaves to sound seductive. In reality he sounded more like a creep but it was doing his job of keeping me rooted with fear.

I have to end this call. Now.

"Whatever you're trying to do Vincent isn't going to work. I'm not yours! I never was!"

"_Ah, allow me to interrupt you there because I know you'll violently hang up the phone soon." _despite my better judgment I don't slam my finger angrily on the red button. _"You are mine. You never left my side—physically, yes but mentally? Oh no. I bet I've been on your mind every second your thoughts start to drift. You're right, you are successful. I knew you were gifted for great fame from the start. But all great things must come to an end. I am that end. I'm coming back for you, and to do that I'm going to destroy everything around you until you have to come back to me. And when that time comes it'll be like you've never left me. Keep that in mind, Canary."_

The line went dead after those final words, along with my heart. I glanced down at my hand; it was shaking. Hell, my whole body was shaking. My thoughts... they're... I can't think straight. I... The only thing going through my mind are his words. Vincent. His words.

The end.

He's planning... planning to rip everything away from me...

Everything...

"S-Sasuke..." my voice is so shaky speaking into the phone. I feel like I'm breaking. "P-Please... come home?"

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><p>NAAAAAAAAAARUUUUUUU~ D; HUGGLES YOU

MY BAAAAAAAABY!

On a side note, I'll still take Sasunaru Oneshot prompt requests for my summer collection if you have any c; Be as vague or as specific as you wish. I already wrote two that will be making their appearances. You can find them on my tumblr located in the Past Oneshot Requests page on my blog ;D.

NOW. BACK TO THE REAL ISSUES. EHEM. Vincent. What in the heck could Vincent do that has not already been done! TELL ME! TEEEEEEEELLLL ME!

VINCENT. YOU BASTARD. OFF WITH YOUR HEAD!


	27. Dwindling Seconds

I was really going to wait till later to post this and then I was like "BUT I LOVE ALL MY READERS!" So... yeah (;

Guys! I also drew a picture of Nigel. LOLOLOL. PURPLE SPARKLY VEST AND ALL! I have the link down at the bottom! If you guys want to draw fanart, feel free! I'd happily accept your pictures! :D

**Warning: The media is uncharacteristically bitchy, but hey... they'll do anything for a story. And really, it all works out for my twisted plot. I see this American Saga ending in about... two, three chapters. Give or take. Also... this is told in Sasuke's POV ;D!**

**Disclaimer: I OWN MY TUMBLR BLOG! WHAT WHAT! I ALSO OWN MY LOVE FOR STONY (TONY X STEVE ;DDDD!)**

Enjoy!

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><p><strong>Chapter Twenty-Seven: Dwindling Seconds <strong>

I never thought I'd ever have to hear Naruto's voice sound so utterly broken until today. He called me right on time, the interview I was appearing for was on break. I wasn't in the best of moods since the interviewer subtly dropped in questions about Naruto's situation even though Jiraiya thoroughly warned her to avoid the subject at all costs. The bitch still didn't listen. Now I have half a mind to rip her throat out.

Anyways, Naruto called. I tried to keep the annoyance out of my voice because it wouldn't be right for me to snap at him when his life is literally a living hell. To think I'd have him sobbing in my ear to come home...

"_S-Sasuke...?" _his voice was shattering in my ears. Helpless, alone, _terrified_. _"P-Please...come home?"_

I don't think I've ever ran so hard before in my life. I have no idea how I got home, maybe from Jun. Maybe I hopped on a train. Maybe I simply got there with the help of my own two feet. However I did it, I came through the door fifteen minutes later, my jacket half off my shoulder and my chest rising and falling heavily.

Iruka looked up at me, confusion painted on his face. "Sasuke? What are you doing home so early?"

"Naruto." I didn't bother to finish my sentence, Iruka would have caught on. I darted up the stairs, fighting against an imaginary clock to reach our room. When I opened the door I found Naruto curled up under millions of blankets shaking violently. My heart nearly gave out—which means a lot since it never falters for anybody.

Except for Naruto...

Closing the distance, I gently sat down on the bed, feeling Naruto twitch at the added weight. I frowned some more and slowly rubbed his back. "Naruto," I leaned in close to whisper in his ear. "Naruto it's me. You're okay now."

Naruto shook his head furiously. "N-No, no I'm not okay! I can't be okay! He can get to me. He can find me. He... he called me... he's... going to ruin everything..." Naruto broke into sobs then, horrible, heart-wrenching sobs. My heart fully gave out then.

I never thought I'd hear Naruto sound devastated twice in one day.

These are the moments where I wished I knew how to be more compassionate, how to say the write words in any situation. Naruto needed more than a hug, more than just words telling him that everything's going to be okay when obviously they won't be. Naruto needs strength.

And I don't know how to do that...

_'Wing it,' _my mind tells me. So I do. I move onto the bed and lie on my side, pulling Naruto into me. His back is pressed against my chest. It's shaking. I feel his sobs, I feel the bits and pieces of his mentality, his strength breaking. I wrap my arms around his waist and hold him as tight as I dared.

"He's gonna find me... he is. I can't. No... I can't..." his sobs died down to nothing more but broken sentences in whispers.

I'm going to start assume that 'he' is Vincent because he's the only person I can think of who would leave Naruto so unnerved like this. I stroke his hair, moving a few pieces around with my fingers. "How do you know that, Naruto? What did he do?"

Naruto swallowed, "He... Vincent—he called me. He called me, Sasuke!" he turned over and looked at me with frightful blue eyes. "He said he'd destroy everything! That I'm his! That I never left him! He called me Canary—I _hate_ that name. He called it, and I snapped. And... I can't. I can't do this, Sasuke." Naruto buried his face into my chest. "I can't. If he comes, I'll lose it. I'm already losing it!"

"Naruto, look at me." I cupped his chin, forcing his eyes to meet mine. "I'm bad with words, so sorry if this comes out harsh. You need to get a grip. All week you've been fluctuating with your emotions. Vincent is using scare tactics to mess with you, with the right leads _anyone _can get our number. I promised I wouldn't let him hurt you. I promised to protect you. Are you doubting that?"

His bottom lip trembled. So I kissed him. I kissed him until his lips kissed back and they were no longer trembling out of fear but out of pleasure. Naruto's arms fell on my shoulders, leisurely hanging there. When I broke the kiss his face was flushed and you could still see the imaginary path of tears on his face.

I couldn't help but think he looked sort of... adorable that way.

"I don't doubt you," Naruto whispered, answering my question from earlier. "I'm just... scared shitless."

"Understandable," I smirked. "If I were in your situation I don't think I could keep up a calm front for long. You're incredibly strong, Naruto."

"No... I'm not."

"You _are_. You're one of the strongest people I know. And yes, you've broken down but you're not here alone. I'll put your pieces back together. We'll get through this... together. And then, when everything's over, when Vincent is finally _gone_, we'll be on stage; together. Just like we should be."

Naruto blushed deeply and buried his face into the crook of my neck. "How are you so sure that everything's going to be okay."

_'I'm not,' _I'm really not. I could say all of this but it all ends up horribly wrong. All I do know, and all that I can do, is that I love Naruto's smiling face rather than his devastated face and I'd do anything to protect it. I pushed back his bangs and kissed him on the forehead. "I know because I'll do everything to make that happen."

I felt tears drip onto my collarbone, but this time I knew they weren't from fear, or from an overwhelmingly crushing sadness. I pulled the blanket over both of us, softly singing to him until his breath evened out and his tears ceased.

+MAXED-OUT+

The next couple of days were filled with tension.

Tsunade called up an emergency team meeting on Thursday in her office. Naruto was a nervous wreck the majority of that day but I helped him calm down enough to tell Tsunade about Vincent's phone call.

"This is really troubling..." Tsunade rubbed her temples, pouring herself her fourth bottle of sake. "Not only does he have detrimental information on you, he knows where you live _and _how to contact you."

"Obviously he's showing off that, if he wished, he could come grab you at any moment." Jiraiya added in. "He's playing on the mental side of things."

"He's also made some wicked damage on Naruto's image. We've been making some progress on patching up holes, talking to news crews who want more info, telling the world that Kit from MAXED-OUT needs a personal holiday." Tsunade continued, downing her sake in one gulp. "But... they won't be satisfied unless Naruto fully comes out himself and speaks up. Until then we're at the mercy of their ragtag gossip."

I spared a glance towards Naruto. He wasn't fidgeting as much anymore. His body was rigid. His eyes locked straight ahead. I was waiting for him to snap. To say something. To do _anything_, but he looked so distant. Only when I placed my hand on his knee did he even look back and smile.

The smile didn't reach his eyes.

For the next couple of minutes Tsunade and Jiraiya drew up battle strategies as they liked to call them. So far their most ludicrous one was turning Naruto into a girl and making him move to Malaysia...

"Guys, as much as your plans are great and all... I think I'm just going to come out and confront the press." No one expected to hear Naruto say that. I know I didn't. Jiraiya's eyes widened and Tsunade scoffed out of disbelief.

"Are you on something, kid?" Tsunade narrowed her eyes, "You weren't too perky to combat them before."

Naruto shrugged, "Well. I'm sick and tired of hiding, not being able to leave my house, not being able to do jobs or go out with Sasuke in _public_. I'm tired of having random breakdowns and really, I'm just done with having giving Vincent this much control. What I've done here in this building wasn't only done by me, you guys helped me out too and now MAXED-OUT is one of the best J-Pop groups out there! If you think I'm going to continue sitting around _on my ass_ and let Vincent destroy all we've worked for then you're fucking crazy, Baa-chan."

The room was left in a stunned silence. I, on the other hand, was smirking my face off. _This _was the Naruto I knew. The passionate, fiery, explosive, Naruto who would fight to the death to protect what he loved.

This was the boy I fell for...

Jiraiya was the first to crack, chuckling and lighting up a cigarette. "Well I'll be damned. Kid's still got some fight left in him. All right then, Naruto. You tell me the date, place, and time you want this thing to go down and I'll have it ready for you by the end of this meeting."

Naruto smiled crookedly, "I would say Linx, since they're the company who sold my story to the press anyways and they'd be the biggest shot of getting my _real_, unbiased and Vincent-influenced, opinion out there. But I was thinking of a more... sadistic approach." he finished, smirking in a way that made me think Naruto had an evil plan going on in his head.

I have to admit, he looks rather sexy when he's cunning.

Jiraiya seemed to catch on to Naruto's drift if the smirk crawling onto his face was any indication. "Oh brat, I knew I trained you well. Let me get right on that." he pulled out his phone and excused himself from the room.

Tsunade rolled her eyes but a tired smile played on her lips. "You kids these days with your guts and risky tactics..." she looked down at her empty cup then looked back to Naruto. "I'm not even going to ask if you're positive about this because that's an obvious answer. Make sure you don't do anything that slanders my company's name or else Vincent bugging you will only be the beginning of your issues, got it?"

"You have nothing to worry about, Grandma!" he laughed and started to get up. We said our goodbyes, leaving the office in a hurry.

Halfway down the hallway I couldn't help but ask, "You're really going through with this?"

"Of course!" Naruto exclaimed like it was the obvious thing to do. He folded his arms behind his head nonchalantly. "I have to get a grip on things. I can't let Vincent bother me forever. This is the final showdown. Winner takes all." he turned to me and grinned, "No regrets."

Whenever Naruto grinned I always found a tiny smile coming out on my face. "And how do you know everything's going to turn out okay?"

"I don't," he shrugged, "but I know if I have you by my side... I could do anything."

The only way I could reply to that was by pulling him into a secluded corner and kiss him; multiple times.

+MAXED-OUT+

It wasn't only two weeks from our meeting that Vincent took his first step.

"_Today ladies and gentlemen we'd like to bring you a shocking, privately recorded session between us here at Linx Studio and one of the many mysterious figures of Kit's past!"_

"Oh fucking unicorns," Naruto slapped a hand over his face, his body shaking slightly. He muttered angry curses under his breath and blindly flailed his arm around. "Please turn that shit off! I'm not about to sit here and have _another _imposter come up on this show to talk more about how 'loose' I was!"

"Hold on, Naruto." Iruka was ever the calm during the storm and patted Naruto on the back. "It won't hurt to listen. Besides, this one was privately recorded. All the interviewees from now were all questioned live."

"Iruka has a point," I agreed. "We might as well listen and if you're right and the guy is a fake, we'll turn off the TV."

Naruto huffed, "Fine. Whatever. I'll be playing 20 Questions with myself in my head if you need me."

Iruka and I both shared equally confused glances. Sometimes... I really don't understand Naruto.

"_Now before we play the recording, we here at Linx would like to share that the person we've intervied has given us the liberty to share only his first name. Now that that has been said... on to the recording."_

There's a pause, a hush falls over the crowd. I have to admit I'm a little anxious myself to hear what sort of foolishness they've come up with.

"_So Tracy... what brings you all the way from New York?"_

"_Well, a good friend of mine wanted me to put the word out there and he said. 'What better way to do that then visit Japan, land of the rising sun?'"_

"_That's very true indeed! Now tell us, Tracy. What's your history with Kit?"_

"_Well if you want to jump the gun and be blunt here, I was Kit's first official customer."_

Naruto visibly twitched, but he showed no other signs of acknowledging the man.

Everyone in the crowd broke out into frenzied whispers.

"_Oh my! That's rather scandalous for you to say! Weren't you aware that Kit was extremely underage back then?"_

"_I'll admit it was against my better judgment, but he assured me he was well above suitable for such things..."_

"Bullshit," Naruto muttered under his breath.

I grabbed his hand and stroked his knuckles one by one.

"_So even back then Kit had a few tricks up his sleeve. Tell us, was Kit as the rumors claimed to be? Wily, untamed, yet desired by all?"_

"_Oh yes. Kit—well, I know him personally by Leo—was always the center of attention. On stage and in... other places. He knew how to direct a crowd, and I suppose he used that talent to further boost his now musical career." _

"Okay, I think that's enough." I snapped and went for the remote, only Naruto stopped me. I sent him a questioning look, all I got was a head shake.

"No. We keep listening. Besides... I've finished all 20 questions."

The interviewed continued with perfectly placed questions and subtly condescending tones from both parties. The purpose for this interview was clear—tear down Naruto's appearance as a star till there was nothing left.

"_This has all been very revealing, and we thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to come visit. Now, one more question before we call it quits. If you could see Kit right now, what would you say to him?"_

"_What would I say? Hmm, well I've had five years to come up with various of things to say and ways to deliver them. But if you were to ask me... I'd say this: Birds never stray from their cages for too long."_

The room temperature dropped about thirty degrees after those words.

Naruto promptly got up and walked out.

I stayed there, intent on watching this to the end.

"_Birds, huh? How does that correlate with Kit's old nickname, Leo?"_

"_It doesn't. It was simply a pet name given to him by the owner of the club... He misses Kit terribly."_

"_I bet he does." _

"Iruka."

"Hm?"

"Turn it off."

I walked out to find Naruto. He was crouched down against the balcony, back turned away from the world. For once there weren't any reporters attempting to rape our personal lives.

"You didn't have to watch it." I stated, sitting down beside him.

Naruto let out a ragged sigh. "I had to. I said I'd handle this, and I thought I could. I have no excuse for walking out there."

"And that's okay. You did fine in my eyes," I offered him a smile, one that he gladly returned.

The smile faded away all too quickly, "Vincent pretty much declared war with that interview."

"You're taking it that way?"

"I sort of _have _to. He wants me. I don't want him. He's going to use every resource he can to have his way. And I'm... I'm going to use every strength I have to make sure he doesn't win." he looked at me, and I felt my heart do that funny thing where it misses a few beats. He takes his hand with mine and squeezes. "I'm going to be back on stage with you, singing my heart up, making up ridiculous fanservice. I won't let Vincent ruin my life."

I pressed my forehead against his, feeling my heartbeat go even more erratic at his words. "You better keep your promise, Dobe."

"I always do, Teme."

This was the Naruto I fell for—the confident, happy-go-lucky blond who makes my heart skip beats.

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><p>Next chapter Naruto will tackle on the media! Will Vincent make an appearance? And if he does what more could he do to Naruto? Hmmm!<p>

The link to Nigel can be found here: http:/abstract-insanity(.)tumblr(.)com/tagged/leart take out the parenthasis and you're good to go ^^! He should be the first one on the page and be warned... his hair is flamboyant (;!

Till next time, ladies!


	28. Golden Cages

**Warning: Ummm, angst and drama kick up a notch here (; I have to go soon so this is really short.**

**Disclaimer: YOUR LOVE. YOUR LOVE. YOUR LOVE. /whispers is my drug. I don't even... why.**

Enjoy! :D

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><p><strong>Chapter Twenty-Eight: Golden Cages<strong>

_To my lovely Kit,_

_I heard about your absolutely flawless plan, my boy, and this is my gift to aid you in your quest to clear your beautiful name! A bowtie, black with subtle orange specks—specifically crafted only for you to wear! Enjoy my little present and remember that you are not alone in this! You are most certainly not!_

_-Eternally fabulous,_

_Nigel_

I don't know how many times I read over that note, imprinted all of the words to my memory. The bowtie in my hand was soft, and warm, with little stitches here and there. Something told me Nigel made this bowtie with his own two hands... that, and the little doodle at the bottom with a chibi Nigel holding a needle and thread kind of threw things out of the water for me. Either way, his present was highly appreciated and nearly brought me to tears for the millionth time this morning.

Sasuke was right... my mood swings _are _worse than a pregnant woman's are.

"What did the note say?" speak of the devil, Sasuke came walking in with two steaming cups of hot chocolate wearing a pair of sweats and a hoodie. I was decked in the same thing but my outfit was cooler. Because I was wearing an orange hoodie, and anything orange is bosser than the rest.

I accepted the hot chocolate gratefully, sighing when I felt a rush of heat warm up my hands. "It's from Nigel. You can read it if you want." I took a sip of my hot chocolate before passing the note over. "To maintain full entertainment experience, you should read it aloud and in Nigel's accent. It's highly amusing," I smirked.

Sasuke shot me a look. "This is _me _we're talking about here, Dobe. I'm not about to do something so idiotic." I rolled my eyes, taking another sip. Sasuke was such a wimp. I watched his eyes skim over the short note, eyes flickering between the note and the bowtie lying in my lap, before he smirked. This lead me to me smirking and taking a victory sip.

"You read it in his accent, didn't you?"

"... Mentally."

"Still counts! But wasn't that sweet of him? I take back all the times I condescended him for being eccentric. He is my favorite now."

Sasuke frowned, "I don't think I feel comfortable having to share my spot as your favorite."

"Oh don't you start whining," I smiled, kissing him on the cheek. "My level of favoritism for Nigel is on a totally different level from yours. You're my number one."

Sasuke smiled back and threw his arm around me. I snuggled in close. "Understandable. I couldn't be anything else but the best."

"Glad to know you always have your ego in check."

"Always do."

We sipped hot cocoa like the bosses we were, exchanging witty banter as time went by. Finally, Sasuke brought up the dreaded question that I really didn't want to talk about.

"Are you ready for tomorrow?" he tried to be really casually with it... and he failed; terribly.

I shrugged, trying to pull of the "I could not find a fuck to give" about the whole situation. Where, in reality, I was freaking the fuck out. Yeah, I want to do it. I brought it up. I made the decision. We got every scheduled a week ago. But... my past. Hell, I'll have to tell the whole fucking _world _what happened from my point of view. I had to try to explain why I did the things that I did. Why I acted the way that I acted. Why I tried to stuff down all the terrible skeletons deep into the closet where they could never climb out. They'll want answers. They'll twist my words. Everyone—if they haven't already—are going to judge me by what I'm going to say: the truth.

I'll tell them the truth. The scary, heart-shattering, life-altering truth of who I am, and what I was.

"I'm ready to take on anything, Uchiha." my brave front was slipping and Sasuke could totally catch on. He scoffed and pulled me into his arms.

"Stop acting so brave. It's annoying." he buried his face into the crook of my neck. "How in the hell am I supposed to protect you if you're always putting on this performance?"

I pouted, my heart constricting a little. "It's not an act..." partially, anyways. I want to do this, no way am I backing out. But... I sighed and turned myself so I was straddling Sasuke's laps. "I do appreciate your overprotective side, though. Thought I should share. I mean, yeah, I'm scared shitless. But I have to do this. I can't turn back. I can't be scared. Vincent said he'd take everything away from me, I'm saying he can go shove his pointy foot up his ass."

Sasuke grinned, "That's a lovely image forever burned in my head."

"It's what keeps me going... Hey, I have a story to tell you."

"Oh God. Is it anything like your spoof of the Avengers you tried to sell me..."

"No! I promise this has nothing to do with Steve and Tony having the hots for each other—no matter how obvious it is!"

My lovely little boyfriend in denial of the obvious love tension rolled his eyes. "Whatever you say... So tell me the story."

"It's a continuation of the first half of my story from America. I thought since I'll have to tell the whole world tomorrow, I might as well give you exclusive rights to the whole story. No interruptions, or comments, or messed up cuts that make me sound like an idiot when put together. I came to Japan, when? Two, three years ago?" it's really hard to keep track when the years blend together. "I was selling myself for about a year or so when Vincent decided he'd get a go with me. And he did, multiple times if I remember. At first I was really excited... because this was the guy who saved me, gave me a home, _loved _me. Or, what I thought was love. But then... after a while... he got violent."

Sasuke's grip tightened around my waist. "Are there any scars?" his voice was low and lethal. Really, if I wasn't holding him down with my weight I'm pretty sure he'd go find where Vincent was hiding and kill him himself.

"No," I shook my head. "Mental scars, none physical. He was really careful not to leave any."

"And you didn't leave because you owed him..."

"That's what I thought originally. Then I started to realize that I stayed with him only because I didn't have anywhere else to go... I started getting so desperate..." day in, day out, nothing but the same routine. Nothing but my body going in clean and ending up dirty, defiled, abused. Tremors are dancing up my spine as I grip onto Sasuke tighter. "One day I just... snapped. I was turning fourteen... and Vincent was getting worse and worse by the day. So I thought: _'What if... what if I did something... something so drastic... that I could get rid of Vincent and be free?'. _At that moment I saw someone lighting up a cigarette. The tiny flame entranced me. It danced, completely tamed by the man lighting up the cigarette. But it came to me that... if I let that flame loose it could destroy everything; even Vincent. So I distracted the guy, took his lighter, and then later on when Vincent was closing up I lit a bundle of newspapers on fire. I watched the club burn down from three blocks away, pretending like I had no idea how it started."

And for years... I lived with the satisfying taste that Vincent was dead. That I wiped out everything he stood for. That I erased my horrid past. There was no ice-chilling remorse. I felt no heart-squeezing pain... I was numb. I was a free...

A freedom with no victory taste...

You know, I never realized how psychotic my actions were until I voiced them out loud. This is random to think but... since Sasuke hasn't said anything back in the past minute, I'm pretty sure I've scared the only guy away who would actually give a damn about me. Than again, Sasuke's not the type of guy to blindly rattle things off without any revere for the consequences.

"You know something, Uzumaki... that's rather badass of you."

Of all the things that could have been said...

I think I must have face-palmed myself about a bajillion freaking times. "Really? I tell you about my complete mental breakdown that could possibly lead to an _arrest_ or something if ever found out, and you freaking call me a _badass_?"

Sasuke seemed to mull that over for a while before nodding, "Yes, it would seem that way."

I sighed, wondering what in the world I'm doing with this guy, and pressed my forehead against his. "I have no idea whether to be flatter or insulted."

"I'd choose to go with flattered. Makes the situation easier. I'm not going to judge you for what you did, Naruto. That's not what you need; and that's really not who I am. You did what you did because you wanted to protect yourself. What more would you like me to say? Your past is already anchoring you down enough..." he cupped my face in his hands, eyes boring into mine, "You don't need patronizing comments bringing you down either."

Guys, I love Sasuke. I really, truly, do. And when our lips met that thought was forever finalized in my head, set in stone in my heart.

I loved Sasuke Uchiha. There was no doubt about it.

"I love seeing you two be all cute together and all, but dinner's ready and I'm not about to let it go cold because you two were sucking face." Iruka popped in, grinning his head off like the mood ruiner he _knew _he was being! "I'll see you boys in a minute!"

"Mom sure knows how to fuck up our moments..." I grumbled.

"Indeed."

Ha. Indeed is a great word.

+MAXED-OUT+

"Naruto, you'll be going on set in ten, okay?"

I glanced up at Jiraiya through my mirror. He was peeking his head through the door, his abnormally long white hair tied down in a side ponytail like usual. I nodded and flashed him the thumbs up. "Gotcha." I smiled, waiting for him to leave alone so I can mentally freak out in peace.

And... he's gone.

"FUCK!" I screamed, slamming my head against the make-up table about ten million times. When I got out of this dressing room, Hinata's gonna faint and the whole world's gonna think I got jumped before I went out there... or worse, come up with more incredulous stories like I was actually in the circus and these wounds came from a lion tamer's incident...

Literally, one news company made that their running headline for _weeks_.

"You just had your hair done and you're already messing it up? Uzumaki I'm a little disappointed in your professionalism."

"Jump off a boat, Uchiha."

"I'm hurt you'd want me to do such a thing. Where's the love?"

I turned my head so only half of my face was making love the the table. Sasuke was looking arrogant as ever even though he wasn't dressed to kill today. While I was decked up in one of my many stage outfits, a gray button up shirt with leather jeans, Sasuke had on a black jacket over top of his hoodie and a pair of jeans. He still looked highly fuckable, though. Which wasn't fair. Because I wanted to fuck him... and now my thoughts are being sidetracked.

"I think I left those all at home along with my sanity."

"Pity," Sasuke smirked, coming up behind me. He wrapped his arms loosely around my shoulders, thumbing the specially made bowtie Nigel gave to me. "Don't forget about this," Sasuke whispered, tying it around my neck.

I think I was blushing all seven colors of the rainbow... Wait, is that even healthy? Probably not.

"You're rather touchy feely today. Not afraid someone will burst in and see us?"

"Not really. We'll tell the world eventually, and if someone were to come in I would love to see their reaction..."

I leaned back to smirk at him, "You really are a sadist at heart, aren't you?"

Sasuke smirked back and kissed me. "It's a rather fun lifestyle, if I must say."

Jiraiya popped back in saying it was my time to shine. Or, in my opinion, my time to crash and burn. Either way something's going to get lit on fire and shine... I suppose. Even though that made no sense whatsoever. I'm pretty sure I was shaking something fierce as I walked to the door.

A pair of arm's wrapped around me, and lips pressed themselves to the back of my neck. "I'll be watching you from backstage. And if anything happens, I'll come out there and have your back."

Sasuke may not think this way, but he's fucking fantastic at calming people down... I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding. "Thank you." I turned around in his arms and kissed him on the lips. A little emphasis on my thanks.

Now I had to go out and face the wolves.

+MAXED-OUT+

For the program Jiraiya made sure to set up an interview with Linx's top competitor, Major. They were both high up there in terms of media, music, technology—the works. Whenever Linx got a scoop, Major made sure to dig ten times deeper into the story. If Linx's technology department created something high end and revolutionary, you knew that by next year Major would have a product out that could do everything that Linx's could do and then some. This also worked the opposite way as well. Major and Linx were like two beta fish that could never get along, but you put them in the same tank anyway because you find their death battles amusing.

Today's interviewer would be none other than Tai, just Tai. He's the sort of person who doesn't take shit from anyone. You give him the real story, he'll accept it hands down. He's the type of reporter that makes you want to have faith in humanity again. I was really happy to know that he'd be questioning me and listening to my story, rather than some uptight bitch who'd do anything to twist my words. Seeing him on stage, accepting and warming up to me as I walked on, made my nerves fry out instantly.

"Kit! To think I finally get to see you with my own two eyes! Come here and give me a hug!"

One more thing I liked about tie: he was a hugger. And boy do I love huggers.

"Tai!" I happily accepted his embrace because, you know, bitches love the hugs. "Thanks so much for having me here! I'm really excited for this."

Tai grinned like a child on Christmas and ushered me over to his white leather couch across from him. "No, thank you for allowing me to be the one you deliver your story to. It warms my heart knowing that I was the first one you called up."

I smiled warmly, "You're welcome." and I meant every word.

"Now, as you all know, for weeks the media has been throwing story after story out on Kit, member of MAXED-OUT. We all know the 'story' frontwards and backwards about his supposed past. Yet, we haven't heard one single word from Kit himself about his past. That, is why he is here today. Ladies and gentleman I'm proud to announce that Kit will be telling us his story, word for word, the _truth_."

A roar of applause broke out, drowning me in the noise. I think my face was ripping itself in half from how much I was smiling. My heart was pounding and pounding, my eyes swimming through the crowd of people who would either walk out of here and understand, or leave judging me. Either way I couldn't change their opinion, I could only give them my story. When my eyes caught Sasuke standing behind the curtain, he flashed me a thumbs up and mouthed the word, "Dobe".

I really wanted to punch him but he eased my nerves down again, like the magical bastard he was. I mouthed back "Teme" before turning my attention back to the camera.

"Hey there, Japan. Thought I'd live forever in a cave, huh? Yeah, well, I almost did that. But I figured nothing would ever get settled that way so I'm here to tell you all my story. For some it may be just a repeat of what the media has spit out and shoved down your throats, but this time you'll here my thoughts... and feelings... so," I let out a deep breath, "here we go."

I think, in total, my story took about an hour and fifteen minutes to tell. Every five minutes I looked over towards the back of the stage where Sasuke would smile at me and mouth silly little things that would give me the strength to keep going.

"_You're doing great for a Dobe."_

"_Look, that girl in row three is crying."_

"_What type of man are you making girls cry?"_

"_When we get home I'm definitely having my way with you."_

I'm sure the whole country of Japan plus the whole freaking world is going to wonder why I blushed so damn much giving my story.

When I was all done, Tai was blowing his nose and dabbing at his eyes. Ha! Yes! Bonus points for getting the host to cry! But asides from that he asked me a few questions, brought out a little surprise where fans sent me cards upon cards and gifts upon gifts saying how much they'd still support me no matter what.

Great. Here comes the waterworks.

"I think we can all say that Kit has left us all utterly speechless with his tale." Tai addressed the crowd. "Thank you, Kit, really, for coming out and sharing your story. For telling us the truth. I, for one, do not see you in any less of a light. In fact, I feel like you're an inspiration."

"Oh no... I'm no way close to being an inspiration..."

But everyone was cheering and whooping and hollering, screaming how much they love me... I expected jeers and got praise instead...

Yes. Faith in humanity is completely restored.

"I think the fans here beg to differ," Tai smirked. "Your past is a brutal one, but everyone of us carries scars. It shouldn't make a difference whether or not you're a celebrity, you fought your battle. You survived. And, you've become a better person from that. Using your gift to bless the world with your voice. Kit, you _are _truly a gift."

Remind me to buy Tai multiple gift baskets full of cookies when this is all over...

I smiled, getting up to hug the greatest host ever created by God. Then I turned to the crowd and made a heart with my hands. The crowd went wild after that.

Closure... yeah... this is nice.

+MAXED-OUT+

When I walked backstage I was expected to be pulled into an open dressing room, totally unsuspecting and clueless, and be ravaged by Sasuke.

That... didn't happen.

"The fuck..." I looked left and right... but still no sign of my boyfriend. "Where is he...?"

_Riiiing. Riiiiiing. Riiiiing._

"Hello?"

"_That was a lovely performance you gave."_

Oh God no...

Everything froze over then. My heart stopped. My eyes were wide. Fear gripped my throat, words stuck with no way out. I swallowed multiple times... "Vincent..." Dammit, I should have changed my number while I had the chance.

"_I'm surprised you acted so disobediently, telling everyone those _lies_. How you didn't know. How I used you. Canary, you were well aware of what you were doing and you enjoyed every minute of it."_

Lies. Fucking lies! "I hated every minute of shit you put me through, Vincent! Get off your damn high horse and realize that this battle is over! The world knows now? So what? As you saw no one's going to abandon me! If anything my fan support is stronger! What more do you want?"

"_I don't want anything else. Because I already have what I need from you... Hold on while I put him on the phone."_

There was a scuffle, a few muttered words, and then silence. Two, painful minutes of silence that made my heart clench painfully. Then... someone's voice hit my ears.

"_N-Naruto..."_

Explosion. That's what it felt like. Like someone had shot off multiple fireworks in my head. He had him. Vincent had Sasuke. How did he...? When...? The backstage was protected. No one could just walk in and out. It's not _possible_. "S-Sasuke... Sasuke can you hear me? Sasuke where are you?"

"_Ah, no. You can't ask him questions. That's a little rude considering what state he is in..."_

"What have you done to him, Vincent!"

"_In all honesty, nothing. I haven't laid a finger on him. But his current condition shall worsen if I don't see you in the next two hours. I'll have someone text you the address. I know you won't come alone, and really, if you did that would be idiotic of you Canary. But I do wish our last meeting to be... entertaining, so I hope you can grant me that. If not, your little... lover," _he hissed the word, _"will die. Well. Till then."_

The phone was still pressed tightly to my ear even after he hung up. All I could think about was that Vincent had him.

Vincent had Sasuke.

Vincent. Had. _My_. Sasuke.

"Yo, Kit!" Jiraiya came up behind me, tapping me on the shoulder. "Have you seen Raven? I lost track of that little bugger awhile ago and haven't seen him since. It isn't like him to just disappear."

"Vincent..." it was the only word that would come out of my mouth.

"Vincent? What does he have to do with anything?"

My phone buzzed. The text message was received. So I let that speak for me.

_Building #00345 located on the corner of 45 Gold Street and 150 Cage Street. Please do hurry. The little raven might not last too long... _


	29. Empty Body Bags

Hey guys! I haven't dropped off the face of the planet! I am here! (DERP. IT'S ONLY BEEN FIVE DAYS, FALLEN. SHUT UP ;A;!) Okay! Anyways, So FF has revamped a lot. Hm. Hm. Yes I enjoy the plastic surgery mucho! BUT LIKE. I CAN UPLOAD COVERS FOR MY STORIES? YEAH. OKAY. /TRIES TO FIND A COVER FITTING OF MAXED OUT. /COMES OUT EMPTY.

Derp ;A;

**Warning: Guys... Guys. I troll you so hard o.o. BUT THAT'S OKAY. BECAUSE YOU'LL ALL LOVE ME, RIGHT?**

**Dislcaimer: I DON'T OWN ANYTHING BUT MY BLOG /CLUTCHES IT TIGHTLY.**

Enjoy c:

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><p><strong>Chapter Twenty-Nine: Empty Body Bags <strong>

Bile rose up my throat.

The world was spinning.

Noises... faces... people... they were all a blurred up mess.

I couldn't think straight.

Disconnected.

Disjointed.

_'Sasuke_._' _

"Calm down," I heard someone tell me.

"Breathe," someone's hand on my shoulder reassured me.

Breathe? Calm down? They expect me to calm the fuck down and _breathe _when my boyfriend is in the hands of some psychopath? Do they honestly, fucking _believe _I'd do something so fucking idiotic!

I'm about to lash out at them when I see it's Hinata who's been trying to calm me down.

Her eyes are dim, her hand is shaking. "Naruto," but her voice... it's so strong; comforting almost. "P-Please... try and calm down. S-Sasuke-kun w-will be alright..."

All my original irritation was beginning to simmer down. How could I get mad at her? She was only trying to reassure me. She doesn't understand that when it comes to Vincent things don't come out "all right". They come out broken, destroyed, empty.

Sasuke could come out broken, destroyed, and empty if I don't find him. I shake my head slowly, placing my hand on top of hers. "Thank you, Hinata. But if I don't get to Sasuke..." I pulled myself away from her grip, ignoring the blazing look she was giving me. With a nod I turned around and dashed off for the entrance. Jiraiya told me he'd have a car set up for me after I showed him the message. True to his word a small, totally ordinary by what I'm used to, car was parked out in the front.

"I haven't called the cops yet," were the first words Jiraiya told me as I got into the car.

"Good," I nodded. "Don't call them until we're halfway there." Vincent wants a performance, he told me. He already knows that the police would be involved and unlike any sane person he _wants _the attention. He wants them there. The only reason I could come up with for why he doesn't care is because he probably thinks he'll win.

That he'll have me.

That Sasuke will be out of the picture.

That he's won this fight.

I'm chewing my thumb down to the nail. "You won't win." I whisper that over and over again. "You. Won't. Win."

We're about twenty minutes away from our destination now. I dialed the authorities and told them the situation. They said they'd be there in less than ten minutes and that I shouldn't act rashly.

I shouldn't act rashly my ass.

"You're looking rather feisty." So not the time for your jokes, Jiraiya. "Kid, stop glaring at me. Being tensed isn't going to change the situation."

"Oh, you don't say? Then tell me, Jiraiya, what should I freaking do? Huh?"

"Well, for starters drop the attitude." Never! "And, secondly, you can close your eyes... and just breathe."

An intense stare down broke out between Jiraiya and I. It lasted like... ten seconds before I finally conceded. Okay, he was right. I needed to calm down. Breathe. Focus. So I closed my eyes, clasped my hands... and prayed. Just a little bit. Asking for mercy, asking that Sasuke would be okay. Praying and praying until my phone vibrated.

_Tick tock, Canary. _

I have half a mind to chuck my phone out the window.

+MAXED-OUT+

Building #00345 was huge, abandoned, and stereotypically the place where gangs would hang out to screw around and put things on fire.

This is the perfect place for Vincent to be.

Is it scary that when I pull out my phone, I already have Vincent's cell number memorized? I must have stared at it the entire car ride here hoping that, maybe, if I glared hard enough he'd spontaneously explode or something because of my negative energy...

Yeah... Jiraiya said I was being stupid, too.

"I'm here." Vincent picked up after the first ring, the creepy little bastard.

"_Excellent. Enter through the doors and take the elevator on the right up to room 23 located on the fourth floor." _

"Tch. I actually wanted to enter through the window. Thanks for reminding me about the door." I hope he caught wind of my sarcasm and that it slapped him the face.

Vincent chuckled. I hated that sound. It felt like someone was stabbing me in the ear with a needle. _"Temperamental as always. Cute, Canary."_

"Don't call me that." I hung up the phone. I didn't need to prolong the conversation any longer than necessary. That, and it would piss him off greatly.

"Naruto," Jiraiya came up behind me, a cigarette hanging out of his mouth. Worry lines were creeping onto his face. "I'm not letting you go in there alone."

I smiled wryly. "You're going to have to, Gramps. Vincent wants me; alone. And as much of a trap this could turn out to be, I have to play by his rules—for now." I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my skin. "He has Sasuke and he won't hesitate to harm him if I don't at least listen to him." although I really just want to punch him in the face, light him on fire, find Sasuke, and then blow up this building.

But I haven't hit that far of the deep end... _yet_.

Jiraiya rubbed his temples, taking out his cigarette and stubbing it out against the wall. "Fifteen minutes. That's all you've got." he caught my gaze, "Make them count."

Nodding, I felt a weird wave of nausea wash over me. "I'm going to have to..." straightening out my shoulders, I stared at the impending double doors before me before I stepped inside Building #00345.

+MAXED-OUT+

Building #00345 was a mirror image of what it was like outside, dirty, smelly, and...

"Oh God," was that a blood stain on the wall? "Gotta find Sasuke. Fast." I followed Vincent's directions and took the elevator up to the fourth floor. The elevator smelled like shit too, if you were all wondering. Unclean carpets, a flickering overhead light, button numbers 1, 2, 3, and 5 were missing. Probably Vincent's sick attempt at picking on my stupidity—or lack, there of.

He's underestimating me greatly, right now.

"Focus, breathe." I remind myself over and over again as the elevator ascends to where Sasuke will be, hopefully. "No. He _will _be there." No second guessing, Uzumaki. Surety, clarity, that will keep you sane. Stay focused on what you're doing. Why you're here. And the happy ending you'll have when this is all over. "I'll probably have to take Sasuke out on so many dinner dates to make up for this mess..." have I ever mentioned that Sasuke has really expensive taste in food?

Stupid rich handsome bastards.

_DING... DING... DING... DING..._

Destination fourth floor has been reached. The doors slowly slid open, probably from age or—most likely—to add on to the freaking creepy effect this place has. Layout was the same, broken lights, busted up walls, rooms with no doors... Oh God. Wait. That's really freaking horror-movie genre right there. Someone, or something, could jump out and I'd be dead meat!

Well, I'd risk becoming dead meat for Sasuke so...

_You're here. _

I have half a mind to chuck my phone at the wall.

_Scared? Worried? Sick to your stomach? Or, perhaps, you're feeling all of the above?_

_This could have all been avoided if you stayed an obedient little child._

Just keep walking, Uzumaki. Keep walking. Don't let his texts worm their way into your head. He's playing mind games. He's trying to psyche you out. It won't work. I won't _let _it work.

_You sure are taking your time._

_Can you even afford delaying the inevitable?_

_Tick tock, Canary. _

Room 23, the only room in this hallway with a door. Big, wide, and a horrible pukish-green. Definitely Vincent's tastes. My hand feels like it's about to fall off my wrist by the way it's shaking so much and I haven't even went for the doorknob yet.

"Sasuke... please be behind this door..." the seconds drip slowly like water droplets off an icicle. My heart's pounding furiously. My throat's gone dry and my head's throbbing. But Sasuke's behind this door. I _know _he's behind this door. And I'm going to grab him, save him, and then make sure he never leaves his sight.

I will bring a new term to the word "hovering" after today!

Bit by bit the room is revealed. Peeling pink wallpaper, a bed without a mattress, scattered clothing, and...

No Sasuke.

My heart fell. It splattered on the ground. I felt something rip it in half. No... No he had to be in here! I flung the door wide open, only to have my fears confirmed.

Sasuke's wasn't here at all.

Vincent was, though.

He was sitting with his back turned to me, so I got the perfect view of his hair. It had grown out considerably. His hair still held onto it's curls but it fell to a decent part of his back. Right now nothing seemed real to me. My mind was coming up with the notion that maybe... maybe this was all some terrible, terrible dream. That Sasuke wasn't kidnapped but was rather spooned to my side like he normally was and I'd wake up bawling my eyes out hysterically into his shoulder while I attempt to explain why I was even gross sobbing on his shoulder in the first place.

_'God... please...please, I need Sasuke to be okay.' _I had to man up now. Not finding Sasuke anywhere around was the big reality bitch slap to the face. Vincent wasn't going to play fair. If anything, I expected him to pull out a gun and shoot me in the leg so I couldn't run away. Seconds passed and neither one of us moved. I opened my mouth multiple times, but my voice refused to work.

Stupid fear.

"No hello, Naruto?" his voice was deeper, much deeper than I remembered. And it was cold, terrifyingly cold.

I took a hesitant step forward. "Where's Sasuke, Vincent? I don't have time to play your games."

Vincent chuckled, the sound was a lot more hoarse than I realized. He still hadn't made an attempt to turn around. "You're going to have to make time, then. As you've already noticed, Sasuke isn't here. But I will be able to tell you where I have put him if you follow along to a few simple rules..."

"No way, Vincent! I won't let you screw with me like that. I came here for Sasuke, that's _it_. Now hand him over and just leave me alone!"

"You still haven't grasped it yet, have you Naruto?" it was the first time Vincent had called me by my real name in _years_. This—and I do not mean it jokingly this time—means that shit has gotten _real_. Vincent finally got up from his chair, his arms wobbling a bit. That struck me as strange seeing that when I met Vincent he had to be in his late twenty's at least. When he actually faced me it felt like he had reached out and slapped me across the face.

"Oh... God..."

Vincent titled his head, one half of his face perfectly unblemished and the other half of his face... "Oh, this little thing?" he pointed casually to his charred face, "You could call it a battle wound, if you will. Got it during a fire fight... I'm sure you remember that night, clearly."

"Vividly," I hiss. "Glad to know all my plans hadn't gone up in smoke then."

"Fire puns, Canary? And I thought your parting gift was bad enough..." he shook his head, tapping his foot against the floor. "I'm a patient man, a kind man; I've even been called charitable."

"People you pay off don't count, Vincent."

He ignored my skillfully placed wit and started to pace. "Years I've lived with this scar. In the fire, I thought if I would die here I would at least bring you with me. But you escaped, and I got this little gift as a price. Thanks to a lovely little piece of burning debris. Ah, don't look so frightened. I haven't come here for _revenge_. Really, I would just like you to apologize and come back to me." he held out his hand, a ring was on every one of his fingers. "Please stop playing this game of freedom and adulthood and come back to me."

Something snapped in me then. Maybe it was the reoccurring pampering acts Vincent tried to play on me. Like I was some child who was only being disobedient for _attention_. As if my actions back there were merely those someone throwing a temper would do. A fire lit up in me. I had enough of this. I've had enough of Vincent coming into my life and fucking things up. I've had enough of this degrading bullshit he thinks he can place on me because of his damn superiority complex! I cross the distance between us and grab him by the collar.

"Your bullshit is getting really fucking old." I snarled. "Either that fucking burn messed with your hearing or you're just stupid, so I'll say this one more time: I. Am Not. Yours. I'm my own person! I'm free! You, you were the bane of my existence! You willingly corrupted me despite my age and let me live such a disgusting lifestyle!" I pulled him down to my face, glaring death rays of ultimate hatred into his skull. "I hate you the most. And I hope you have a horrible, painful death." and then I punched him in the face. Hard.

Damn that felt satisfying.

Vincent flew back a decent amount, his body clashing with the floor harshly. A twisted smirk crawled on my face. I really hope he got a concussion from that impact. He sure was twitching enough. Sadly it looked like he was still conscious seeing that he got up, shook his head, spit out some blood to the side, and shot me a glare.

I flipped him off.

"Wily," Vincent smirked, showing off his blood stained teeth. "But stupid." he pulled out his phone and pressed a button. I should have made a move, or a grab for it, or something. But I just stood there and listened to his next two words: "Dump him."

My heart dropped.

"What?" I exploded, fists curling up ready to connect to his face again and again and again. "You bastard!" I lunged at him, pining him to the ground and once again becoming familiar with the color of his shirt. "You dumped Sasuke! No! No he was supposed to be okay! You can't just do that!" I shook him violently, "Bring him back! Bring. Him. Back!"

"Tch," Vincent grabbed onto my hands with a fearsome grip. "Children shouldn't react so violently. I was doing what was best for you. I've been lenient with you long enough." he jerked his head a little and before I knew what happened I was hoisted up in the air by a guy three times my size.

"Let me go!" now I was really panicking. Sasuke could be dead. _Or he is dead_, my mind tried to taunt. Shut up, mind! You can burn in hell, mind! I struggled and struggled but dammit, this guy had an ungodly grip!

Vincent chuckled that annoying chuckle I hate so much, his stupid leather shoes shuffling against the carpet as he came to cup my cheek. He didn't cup it very nicely. "You've ran out of chances, Canary. I've tried to be nice to you. I've deposed of that hindrance for you! I even plan to forgive you for this!" he pointed to his grotesque burn. "Yet you still act this way...?" he clucked his tongue as if ashamed of me.

I growled and wrenched my face out of his claws. "Get any closer and I'm kicking you in the balls!"

"You're in no position to bargain with me, Canary." he gave another jerk of the head to his freaking inhumane lackey. "Knock him out."

"Wha—?"

All I saw was black after that. Black, and a stinging sensation that went from my neck all the way up to my head. I don't know what happened after that. All I could see was the same image over and over again in my head: Sasuke's body being dumped and nothing left but an empty body bag for sadistic remembrance.

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><p>Welp. Guys. In all honesty I was gonna let this chapter end happily. And then I was like "HA! NO! I SHALL BE MAKING THIS DRAMATIC! WOOOP!"<p>

Don't kill me D;


	30. Wielding Pipes

I love all the death threats. I take it as a form of love. And your love is my love and everyone's love is the love of unicorns...

**I'm tired. I'll do small promoting at the end~**

**Warning: This chapter is a happy one~ I switch up between POVS and uh... made things more easier for our lovely JPOP idols. NBD, guys.**

**Disclaimer: I still only own my blog. And it's a beautiful blog.**

**Enjoy~ **

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><p><strong>Chapter Thirty: Wielding Pipes<strong>

"_Dump him._" were the last two words I heard. It was a miracle I was able to pick up on words at all. My entire face burned. It hurt to breathe. I was slipping in and out of consciousness. Memories weren't adding up straight. I-I was supposed to be in the dressing room backstage... waiting for Naruto to get finished with his interview.

He had done so well... and I was going to reward him with a kiss—well, a _lot _of kisses, and possibly a hand job if things turned down that route.

But then... someone came... I think? And everything went black after that.

Now, I'm in pain and weightless. Wait, why am I weightless?

I didn't have time to react before I was pushed down some sort of chute, falling and falling. I couldn't even scream, the movement of broken ribs and turn flesh adding on with the falling robbed my breath. The falling only lasted a few seconds, but in my torn state it felt like an eternity. My stomach didn't stop turning until I made a collision with my destination.

A...

Actually, I have no idea where I landed.

All I know is that wherever I fell onto smelled but braced my impact better than I had hoped. With the little strength I had I tried moving my hand around to feel out my surroundings. Plastic and... objects, some soft and mushy, others rounded and sharp.

I sure hope this is a delusion my brain created because of the pain and I'm really not in a trashcan right now...

Nope, I'm in a trashcan.

"That fucker..." I gritted my teeth, forcing myself to sit up. I had to get out. I had to stop Naruto from coming to find me. And then, I had to find the bastard who captured me and punch him in the face; repeatedly.

I tried to get up, first attempting to get on my knees, when I accidentally brushed against some metal. "Fuck!" I hissed as it cut through the material of my jeans and pierced my skin. A slight trickle of blood started to flow down my leg. Well fuck, this just makes everything ten times better.

My new injury was going to hinder my ability to get... well... _anywhere_. My stomach felt nausea and waves of dizziness started to attack me. I gritted my teeth some more and gripped onto the top of the dumpster. I wasn't out of this game yet, and I surely wouldn't sit down in a dumpster suffering over my wounds while Naruto could be in danger.

Footsteps alerted me that I wasn't alone anymore. I ducked down, training my ear to pick out the voice. I doubt it was my captor's voice, though I wouldn't really be able to tell since they did a pretty good job of knocking me out.

They came... closer... and closer...

"Those damn brats think that I'll just stand out here and wait for them patiently. No! I ain't getting any older." I don't think I'll ever say this out loud but, right now, I'm so happy to hear the voice of my manager Jiraiya. He was standing outside the opening leading to the alleyway I was dumped into, looking pissed off as hell.

I pushed myself up with little effort, pushing aside trash bags and whatever else could be living in this dumpster until half my body was over the opening.

"J-Jiraiya!" I yelled, but it came out more of a rasp. A horrid cough rocked my body. "Jiraiya!" I called out again, my voice louder this time.

That got his attention. Jiraiya nearly choked on his cigarette at the sight of me.

"Sasuke?" Jiraiya squinted down the alleyway before he jogged inside.

"A.. little help here." dammit, I hate sounding so weak. Jiraiya was right there to help me out of that stupid dumpster. I landed on my feet shakily, almost blacking out for a few seconds. Dammit it all. When I found those bastards.

Jiraiya brushed off the dirt from my clothes and cupped my throbbing cheek—ignoring the hiss of pain I emitted—assessing the damage. "They got you good, kid." he let out a low whistle.

I rolled my eyes and yanked his hand off my face, "No shit, Sherlock. Where's," I stopped myself from asking that question.

If Jiraiya was here... and Naruto was nowhere around.

"Fuck, he's in there isn't he?"

Jiraiya stopped his cigarette on a nearby wall. "He went in there after you. Told me to wait until the cops come to make my move. He said he'd bring you back..." he scowled up towards the offensive building before us. "I should have went in there with him."

"Like that stubborn idiot would let you go after him..." Naruto had to be the hero, in every fucking situation. He had to throw himself in the way of a bullet train just to save _me_. A small part of me was really flattered, but the rest of me was annoyed.

I don't know who I'm going to punch first when I see them.

Spitting out another spasm of blood, I felt up the areas that were bruised and battered the most for any signs of blood. Nope. None. Only a hell of a lot of pain. Well, this was going to be a bitch go handle. "Have the cops come?"

"They said they be here in a few—" the sound of multiple squad cars was the answer I was looking for. Wiping the back of my blood stained lips with my hand, I couldn't help but let loose a wicked chuckle.

"Oh Vincent... you have no idea who you're fucking with."

+MAXED-OUT: Naruto's POV+

When I came to there was a freaking flashlight shoved in my face.

In. My. Fucking. Face.

I was already pissed that I got captured by this stupid excuse for a person, knocked out by some guy who was probably on so many drugs his eyes were forever bloodshot, and now... I tried to move my hands and legs.

Well fuck I'm tied.

I've long since stop being so scared of the situation. I guess this is my mind trying to calm me down before... whatever the fuck happens. I'm still irritated as _hell_.

God, I wish the fire I made burned off more than half of Vincent's face. If it burned off his dick I would be so happy.

"Ah, you're awake." big bad and bulky must also been known in the underworld as stupid, stupid, and stupid.

I try to keep an upbeat tone as I prepare to tear him down to bits. "Why yes. That must be why my eyes are open! Good for you. Cookie for the pawn?"

Ouch. Okay, I deserved that backhand.

I could hear Vincent's disgusting chuckle from really close by. And it was only when I turned my head that I noticed how close he was standing to the bedside. What in the... How the fuck did I not notice that? Growling, I try to struggle against my restraints but Vincent's hand on my chest is enough of a jump start to my memories to get me to still.

Dammit all.

"Is your increasing amount of sarcasm a sign that you're finally giving up?"

"No. I've always been this sarcastic." I stared down at his hand, noticing that different areas of his fingers and portions of his skin were darker than most. "Mind getting your hand off of me? It's a little restricting."

Vincent smiled wickedly, "It's this sort of behavior that lead to the death of your lover."

Wow... thanks for the verbal bitch slap, Vincent. He was a man who played with words like he played darts. He knew exactly what to say to send me into nothing more but a fuming, glaring child trying to hold back their tears. I would not cry in front of him. I would not. I already lost once and look where that got me? I swallowed past my fears to shoot Vincent a glare.

"Vincent, let that joke drop. It wasn' funny the first time." Vincent was going to push me and push me to believe him, and I was going to push just as hard back to show him he could shove all his fucking lies up his ass.

Sasuke wasn't dead.

I wouldn't _allow _Sasuke to die.

Vincent smirked—and I cannot describe to you with words how ugly it looked on him—and his hands started to finger the hem of my shirt.

My blood was starting to run cold.

"Your using your lips for rather inappropriate reasons," he pressed our foreheads together. His breath smelled terrible. Being this close was making my body spasm and memories were attacking me left and right.

"_Can you handle three fingers, Canary?"_

"_Ahhh... you're closing around me so tight; swallowing me whole."_

"_Sing for me, Canary. Let your voice hit the rafters. Scream my name."_

Now I was sobbing. All those years I thought I was doing something right my life. The perfect repayment for the man who saved my life. Stupid, stupid, stupid. He was trying to kiss me, and I had to fight him. I'm not going to fucking just lie here and sob anymore. Sobbing time is over. Fighting time was delayed but now it's back on course and I will punch this motherfucker in the face again when I get out of my restraints.

He pressed his lips against mine so I bit his lip until he was drawing blood. With a toothy grin spit my saliva mixed with blood right in his eye.

There. Take that you fucker.

I almost—_almost—_regretted doing that because the look Vincent gave me was freaking demonic. He snapped his fingers and immediately got a knife put in his hands.

"I am sick, and tired, of you being so disobedient, Canary." He pressed the blade against my throat and for once I was literally scared out of mind. The look Vincent was giving me... it wasn't human. I squeezed my eyes tight as he ran the blade up and down my neck, not pressing in too deep to make a wound but far enough to make a clear warning that if I wake up again... he's slitting my throat.

"Have I not been kind to you during this entire process? The fact that I haven't snapped your puny little neck in half yet should be a clear enough answer. Don't you see, Canary?" he licked my neck slowly, his sandpaper tongue leaving goosebumps on my skin. His knife had started to draw light circles over my clothed stomach.

I scoffed despite my better judgment, but didn't trust myself to do anything more. I wasn't being scared, I was being _smart. _

"Really, this is all your fault... You act like I _raped _you all those years ago."

You did you homicidal fucker. Keep your tongue tied, Uzumaki. Keep it tied.

"I only did what you wanted me to... You begged for it so nicely, I couldn't help myself." God, his purring act was getting really annoying. His knife had started to rip strands through my shirt—my favorite shirt too, dammit!

I tried to wrench my head away when he went for another kiss but that didn't fly well with Vincent. He snarled and gripped my cheek in a vice-like grip.

"I don't want to hurt you, Canary. I only want you to see the light of your actions. Please," he almost had this creepy whining tone to his voice. I'm starting to think the smoke from the fire fucked with his senses. "Just see the error of your ways. Ask for forgiveness. Then we can go back to New York together and leave this horrible life behind..."

I stared at him, really stared at him. And then I fixed my most fake and sincere face I could muster while smiling weakly. "Vince..." it was the nickname I used to call him before I knew how sick of a bastard he was, "thank you... but, I'm sorry to say that you're a fucking lunatic and you better watch out or Sasuke's going to wreck your face."

Vincent narrowed his eyes, the tip of his blade digging into his stomach. "Excuse me? What was—" he didn't have a proper chance to say anything because Sasuke's fist came crashing into his face moments later.

"Warned you," I smirked at his twitching body on the floor.

+MAXED-OUT: Sasuke's POV+

I was running on pure adrenaline as I rushed through the decaying building look for my boyfriend. My boyfriend. _Mine_.

Not Vincent's.

Not some psychotic pedophile.

_Mine. _

It took me awhile but I finally found the room they were in, didn't really take me that long seeing as Naruto's voice carried around for three stories.

I was at the doorway and our eyes met, but it was the briefest of glances so Vincent didn't see a thing. I certainly didn't give a fuck if he could see period as long as he got off _my _boyfriend. I snarled, my fists curling, and before I knew it I punched the bastard off my boyfriend.

Panting and huffing, adrenaline was still pumping through my body.

"Nice punch, Sasuke. Kudos for the finishing blow."

"Do you really have the energy to be sarcastic in this situation?"

Naruto smiled at me... and it looked so broken. I wanted to slap myself repeatedly. I went to release his bonds and hold him against me until the world ended when a gruff cough cut me short.

Oh. Right. The big mass of bulky intimidation.

I looked at him and assessed my chances at coming out of this without a broken bone.

Those chances were rather slim.

"I think you can take him," Naruto added casually.

"Dobe, shut up."

"Love you too, baby."

God... this is just... no.

We stared each other down, assessing one another. He knew he could take me. I knew he could take me. But for Naruto I'd take him on and a thousand men twice his size if I could save him. Big Mass made the first swing that I barely dodged within an inch of my life. I was able to roll away but he came to kick me in the gut, knocking the wind out of me.

"Sasuke! No, you fucking bastard stop it!"

God, like my wounds didn't hurt enough. I staggered trying to get back up, coughing and hacking up blood. Big Mass was coming in for another blow that I, once again, could barely dodge. Now I was getting fed up. I forced myself to stand, looking wildly around for _some _weapon that could tilt the scales. Out of the corner of my eyes I saw a discarded pipe... if I could just reach it in time...

"Sasuke, look out behind you!"

The punch literally sent me flying two feet back. My back connected with the floor and I felt stars explode in my vision. God... the pain... I was swimming in and out of unconscious. I'm pretty sure all my bones were broken beyond pair.

Naruto's voice was screaming at me to get up... and I really wanted to just lie there and close my eyes...

But then he started calling me weak, and stupid, and other names and all I wanted to do was get up and punch him in the face.

With new found strength—luckily he punched me close enough to the pipe—I gripped my new pipe and slowly got up with it, weighing it my hand. I smirked. Oh yes, this could do some major danger.

"You're gonna get it now, bitch!" Naruto cheered from the bedside. I take back the threat to punch his face.

Big Mass snorted. Yes. That's right. Underestimate me. It'll make it so much sweeter when I kick your ass with this pipe. He came charging at me and this time I was ready. Once quick, powerful swing to his gut sent the man crashing to his knees.

Then I hit him on the back of the head; because I could.

I was panting up a storm. My vision was blurry. I dropped the metal pipe on the ground and trudged over to the bed where Naruto was.

"Hey..." I whispered softly, running my bruised hands across his bruised cheeks. I bet if the media heard of this they'd have a field day over our appearances.

His blue eyes were watery and bright. "Hi there..." he sniffed and nuzzled his nose in the palm of my hand. "Have I ever told you you're fucking sexy when you wield a pipe like that?"

I smirked and brushed my cracked lips against his forehead. "I was channeling my inner Thor there..." I chuckled softly.

"You succeeded." he giggled.

I made a quick survey of our surroundings. I don't know how hard I had punched Vincent but he was still out cold, same with his lackey. Good, that means I could pass out. Though I should really work on undoing Naruto's restraints...

After I pass out.

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><p>So what shall happen after Sasuke passes out? I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter~ Definitely a different take on things.<p>

Now for one small promotion: Recently, my friends and I created a Roleplay blog loosely based on the MAXED-OUT universe. Only with the parts that it involves the school, Charisma and Charisma towers. Students that enroll there want to make it big in the entertainment industry. It's an animecrossover rp, so if you're interested you can apply as any anime character you want. No auditions required. I just ask that you read the rules before applying~

If you're interested, the link to the roleplay group is on my blog. You'll have to make a tumblr to play, but it doesn't take too long. It'll be fun guys (:

Now that that's over... /goes to bed. I took way to long to finish this chapter.


	31. Shifted Winds

Iwas going to post this earlier but then I got distracted by my Tumblr RP group... Really. We have no shame and in a matter of two weeks I've managed to pair Naruto up with so many different characters... CRACK SHIPS HAVE BEEN BORN!

**Warning: There are obvious time skips, only a week or more in advance. This chapter is really a wrap up and push up for what's going to happen next. Also there is smut. Randomly. Because I wanted it to happen. ICANDOWHATIWANT~**

**Disclaimer: I OWN MY CRAPPY NINTENDO DS LITE BUT I'D REALLY LIKE TO DISOWN IT BECAUSE IT SUCKS RIGHT NOW.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 31: Shifted Winds <strong>

"Ne... Sasuke... you should do me a favor."

Sasuke rolled his eyes at me, probably fed up that that this would be the tenth favor I've asked him in the past... five minutes.

"Naruto, for the last fucking time I'm trying to _nap_. Can you please let me do that?"

"But Saaaaasukins!" Ha, see what I did there? The lack of pants had made me feel a little looser all of a sudden~.

Sasuke face palmed; repeatedly. He was such a cutie, my little Sasukins. "No! No buts! No ifs and whens—nothing! I am currently nursing a broken rib cage and bruises while you're sitting over there with a mild concussion and welt burns on your wrist. I do not know what in the fuck you think could be important that you have to _bother _me for it but I am _napping_."

Now guys, we all know Sasukins is a big ray of sunshine after he'd gone through a terrible beating and kidnapping. And as his loving boyfriend I should do everything to give him the peace and quiet he deserves since he saved me, right?

Wrong. I did that four days ago. Now I want some loving too!

Winning, I swung my feet over the bed and padded my way over to Sasuke's little haven. He pretended to be asleep but I saw his eyebrow twitch.

He wasn't that sneaky~

I grinned wildly, slipping into the bed that was obviously fit for one person—I'd make it work, though, since I'm Naruto Uzumaki and that's just how it works—I spooned up against his side. One leg wrapped over his hip, an arm splayed across his chest, my head resting on his shoulder. I could feel his heart rate pick up yet he _still _tried to play the sleeping cat.

Well honey, Naruto's a horny little kitty and I will not let you sleep!

"Saaaasu~kins," I nuzzled my face into the crook of his neck, purring like a kitty. "Come on... I know you're not actually sleeping..." The hospital gowns we had to wear could hardly be considered clothing. If we weren't careful we'd flash the whole damn place with our asses. Now _that _was something the media would have a field day with.

So of course, me being a pervert, had to use this as my chance to slip my hand up his gown. Which, in turn, pushed the whole probably one inch thick fabric up to his stomach.

Hm. He was having a briefs sort of day.

"Dobe!" Aw, he was blushing. That's cute. He's a cute blusher. My hand was stroking his cock through his underwear, feeling it harden at my touch. Now you all maybe wondering: "Naruto! What are you doing getting freaky in the hospital room? Have you no shame?"

The obvious answer... No of course not.

"What if someone walks in!" Sasuke hissed, attempting to look as scary as possible with a blush on his face.

I scoffed and slipped my hands down his briefs. He moaned loudly.

Obviously he didn't care so much anymore.

I smirked and licked from his neck all the way up to his ear. "You know... I haven't had you to myself like this in a _while_. How long has it been since I've you cum with my hand... or even my _mouth_?"

Sasuke's resolve was breaking. His eyebrows scrunched together. He was debating whether or not he should let my stroking continue.

Well I know his hips were all for it by the way they were bucking...

Finally, Sasuke opened his eyes glistened with lust, gazing at me with a heat so unbearable I shivered. And got a boner. At the same time.

"It's been too long," his voice was dipped in a huge batter of lust. I smirked against his ear and met his tongue for a passionate kiss. It matched the pace I had while stroking his cock, long... slow... and totally pleasurable.

Saliva followed our tongues as we broke apart. Sasuke's face was flushed, his breaths painted the skin on my collarbone. He bit his lip, my thumb rubbing over his tip... smoothing back down to tease his balls, before gripping his shaft and pumping him furiously.

"N-Naruto," he panted against my neck, bucking his hips to meet my thrusts. His hand had slipped underneath my hospital gown and was currently working the same wonderful magic on my cock.

And I was moaning and moaning, enjoying every single rush of heat the moment brought.

Our jerks started to get erratic.

Our curses and moans started to turn into nothing more but silent gasps for air.

We were both so close...

"C-Cumming..." I moaned, before exploding into Sasuke's hand.

Sasuke came after me, moaning my name and biting down onto my neck. I moaned loudly. That little move sent another, smaller wave coursing through my body. We were a flushing, panting mess coming down from both our highs.

"S-See... we didn't get caught." I smirked, cuddling close to his side. By now our cum-covered bodies and covered asses were exposed to the world but I, for one, could not find a fuck to give.

Sasuke smirked, hooking his arm around my shoulder, running his hand through my hair. He pressed a kiss to my forehead. "You have literally wipe out all the shame in me, Dobe."

Guilty as charged. I batted my eyelashes innocently, "But Sasukins, you never had any shame to begin with."

+MAXED-OUT: Recapping+

It's been a week since Sasuke and I have been released from the hospital. It's also been two weeks since Vincent's been shipped of to a nice little jail where I hope mutated rats force him to play a one man Hunger Games. One week and the media has shifted it's globe from tearing me down to showing the world that I'm just like any other human being. I have faults. I have troubles. But I'm an "Inspiration to those who need it most". Linx spewed up. They've also been focused on the story of MAXED-OUT's kidnapping.

We _triiiied _to keep it under wraps.

"Dammit! I can't go out of my house to do a little grocery shopping without being mobbed by those vultures!" Mom slammed the door, looking like he just took a little deter through a civil war before coming home.

"We tried to warn you," Sasuke and I were having another movie night. We're movie junkies and regret absolutely nothing.

"Hn." Have I ever told you guys that Sasuke's a great cuddler?

Wait... you're all probably confused as fuck as to how we got from Building #00345 to the hospital back to the Penthouse.

Well let me sum it up for you in a few sentences: After Sasuke passed out on me like a lump of potatoes Jiraiya and the cops finally arrived. Of course they were speculating why Raven was lying on top of me, Kit, who was tied down onto a bed. Jiraiya, being the smooth operator he was, told them the logical truth.

"If you were about to pass out after being kidnapped and brutally injured, wouldn't you want to black out on a bed?"

I'm telling you; genius.

Vincent and his crony were arrested on the spot. Of course he threw some pretty nasty words my way.

"You have no idea what you're doing, Canary! You think that world will accept you know that you've escaped! I've destroyed your life as Kit! You're mine! Mine!"

They had to bring a muzzle out for him. I told them to get the smallest size possible.

And, as I've said, the media was starting to have a field day with us. One of the most popular JPOP bands captured? By a madman from Kit's past? Oh the horror! Everyone went from judging me to sending me frilly fruit baskets in a matter of five hours.

It was _terrible_. I wanted _ramen _baskets, the fuckers...

So yeah, back to the present. Sasuke and I are happily cuddling on the couch and the gang's coming over later to do the customary: "OHMYGOD ARE YOU ALRIGHT LET ME TOUCH YOUR FACE AND SET FIRE TO THE RAIN!"

If you guys haven't noticed my wit is at the top of it's peak. A sure sign that everything's going to be okay...

"Dammit, Sasuke! You fucking know I hate garlic on my popcorn!"

Or at least... manageable.

+MAXED-OUT+

Have I mentioned that Nigel saw us _a lot _during our downtime? Literally almost every other day he'd come stop by the Penthouse with one of his famous pastries. I was not even surprised when he brought in German Chocolate Cake to our door. I just opened it up and said: "The plates are in the cupboard over the sink".

And then we had cake.

So now when he brought us little bags of cookies before our first Comeback concert in Tokyo I was about to hug this man in a sobbing mess.

I'm pretty sure even Sasuke was tearing up. Though he wouldn't admit it.

Sasuke got teary-eyed over baked sweets... kukukuku.

"My babies please accept these sweets as a form of my happiness that you two are safe and sound!" Nigel was a blubbering mess handing over our cookies, bringing out his signature purple hankie to dab at his eyes.

Of course, Teme and I happily accepted the cookies. We popped a few in our mouth, simultaneous moans escaping from both of us. Nigel could freaking bake the _socks _off of Betty Crocker. He made the most banging chocolate chip cookies you will ever have the joy of tasting.

Yup. I was definitely sobbing now.

"Thank you so much, Nigel!" I hugged him tightly, shoving a few more cookies in my mouth. This was probably _not _healthy to do before going on stage but... like... cookies.

Sasuke could hold in his emotions a lot better than I could, the robot, and went for the loser approach of patting Nigel on the arm. "This is very nice of you, Nigel-san. Thanks."

"You could at least hug the man, Uchiha!"

My lousy hugger of a boyfriend scowled. "No offense to Nigel-san but I'll stick to pats on the shoulder..."

"Oh don't worry about me! I'm fine with whatever forms of affections my babies shower me with!" Nigel waved his hand at the matter! "I'll be sitting front row, front row, the perfect spot to see my jewels shine! A stellar performance; that's what I expect to see!" he clapped us on the shoulders, smirking in a way that made him look less girly and more... manly. "Make this halfie proud!" and then he swaggered off... with a swing in his hips.

Sasuke and I glanced at each other before breaking out into smiles.

"Nigel is definitely my favorite."

"Again with your favoritism bout..." he pouted. Gosh, he's such a cute pouter.

I smirked, wrapping my arms around his neck. Which was totally safe, by the way, because no one else could get backstage unless they were authorized... or named Nigel Seguchi. "Sasukins!"

"Don't call me that," he growled, but he still wrapped his arms around my waist.

He's whipped, guys.

I pecked him on the cheeks, smirk still brightly in place. "I thought the name was really starting to grow on you."

"Well you thought wrong."

"You know I was thinking about sharing your new nickname with our fans..."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at me. Oh, intimidating. "Don't. You. Dare. Uzumaki I swear to God if you even look at me funny thinking about it I will castrate you!"

I patted him on the cheek and sneakily pulled out of his embrace before he could squeeze the life out of me. "Now Sasuke. You should know by now if you tell me to do something I'll do the exact _opposite _of it. Has our sexual activities in our hospital room taught you _nothing_?"

After that I got the fuck out of dodge. When I ran out on stage with Sasuke on my tail the whole stadium went ape shit flipping tables _crazy_. I instantly felt a rush of adrenaline kick start in my system. Grabbing the mic on stand, I let the fans know exactly how I felt about having a full house.

"Guys, it's been so long since I've seen all your beautiful faces! I haven't performed for a full house in so long... Sasukins!" yes, I said it. And I regret _nothing_! "Isn't this great? We gotta give them a kick ass performance now!"

Sasuke was literally throwing me the death daggers of an impending horribly death with his eyes. So I, in return, licked my lips and dragged a finger down my chest. Did I tell you guys I was wearing a really tight, shiny silver, tank top? Yeah. Well. Sasuke was a big fan of this shirt... and since I was being such a tease his glaring flipped a switch and sent me messages that I was about to get fucked...

Oh testosterone, you do some funny things...

"I warned you, Dobe!" he kicked me in the side and I toppled over. Everyone else freaking _laughed _thinking it was fan service. No, dammit, that hurt like a bitch!

Rubbing my abused side, I shot Sasuke a glare. "Is that anyway to treat your lover!" Ha, innuendo for the world to go crazy about!

Sasuke barely raised his eyebrow, so only I would notice the change, but then he smirked and offered his hand to me. "Nope. But it's the best way of handling a dobe."

"Jeesh," I muttered, taking his hand as he pulled me up. "You are so not getting hot, steamy sex when we get home..." insert epic fangirl scream right here... Waiting for their screams to calm down, I waved a hand asking them to quiet down for a while. "Before we start the concert... I'd just like to say thank you. To all of you. For your support and wishing me the best even when it seemed like the whole world was against me. Your letters and notes of encouragement gave me an immense strength. So this concert tonight, the songs we sing, they all go out to you... Even our new one that Sasuke and I made while we were resting in the hospital. It's called, _Flying Free._"

_Flying Free_ was a mixture of things really. A nice acoustic melody that would be powered on by the sound of our voices. We turned it into a story—as a lame crack Jiraiya wanted to make it about a bird—a story about being trapped by guilt and an invisible chain. The exhilaration of finally being free and making yourself someone. The overwhelming heartbreaking emotions that flow over you when you realize you're not alone in the world anymore.

That people care.

That you have... friends.

I swallowed past a thick wall of emotions. Tears were streaming down my face as I blasted out the chorus.

"_And with you I could find the strength to fly. Winds of support, times are changing. My world's enlarging." _I specifically gazed at Sasuke for the next verse because it was meant just for him... _"You made me believe again. You gave me faith. Power to move the mountains. A breath to take again."_

I don't know what compelled me to link my hands with Sasuke on that stage. But I did. And whatever freaking repercussions come out of it I could really not give a fuck because if it wasn't for Sasuke, for my family, for the fans... for my friends... I wouldn't be here.

Sasuke's eyes were a vast sea of emotions. Tears clotted the sides of his eyes and his picked up the last verse. _"You thought I'd leave you alone? To fight your own battles? To weather the storms? I promised to protect you, and I swore on my life. I'd give you the gift of flight, and you've soared above the clouds. _ I'm so proud of you..." he whispered that last part, pressing his forehead against mine. By now he was crying freely, but unlike me he wasn't a hiccuping mess.

The crowd was in an uproar as the acoustic guitarist played us out. It was only our first song and we've managed to reduce a majority of the audience into a sobbing mess.

Seems like just another night for MAXED-OUT.

+MAXED-OUT+

Sasuke and I were still holding hands.

Still. Holding. Hands.

"Punks," Kyuubi greeted us. I haven't seen him in a while, but that could be because he was on a business trip in China for the past couple of weeks... Oh well. "I'm all up for PDA but that... Everyone's gonna know."

I looked over at Sasuke, nervously playing with his fingers. Biting the inside of my cheek, I wondered how Sasuke was going to reply. He was the one who said we should keep our relationship on the DL. And I agreed only to make him happy... He knew how the world was going to react to our moment on stage and he followed along anyways.

That should mean something... right?

Sasuke gripped my hand in reassurance. His answer silently comforting me. "They can take what they saw anyway they want. I don't regret my actions." then he smiled at me and pressed a kiss on my sweaty temple. "After what we went through... I don't mind shouting it out to the whole world that Naruto's mine and I'm his. No psychopath is going to tear you away from me," he whispered in my ear.

"God... I love you," it didn't even register in my mind that I haven't said those words until now. I buried my face in his chest, drinking up his presence until I couldn't get enough.

Sasuke buried his nose into my hair, kissing the top of my head softly. "Me too, Dobe. I love you too..."

See? Traumatic experiences _can _bring good out of people...

+MAXED-OUT+

"Guys... I think you'd like to see this." Iruka was a giggling mess today at the breakfast table. Normally when he was in this mood Sasuke and I assumed he had great sex with Kakashi the other night.

Apparently that was only half of his bubbly mood.

He slid over the magazine across the table, pointing to the front cover.

The front cover featuring me and Sasuke's intimate moment on stage.

The intimate moment on stage where we were hopelessly gazing into each others eyes like the lovers we are.

With a _big _banner splashed on the top reading: "IS MAXED-OUT MORE THAN JUST A UNIT? COULD A POSSIBLE LOVE HAVE BLOSSOMED BETWEEN THESE TWO DURING THEIR KIDNAPPING EXPERIENCE? SASUNARU FANGIRLS SAY: YES."

"Oh good Lord..." I don't know what's worst. The fact that they're connecting our love to Vincent's rampage on my life or that the fangirls have created a name for our... 'ship' and our proudly sailing it right now.

Yeah, me and Teme have found the fanfiction. It gave us... ideas. Ehem. Moving on.

Sasuke was staring the magazine down in what I'm guessing was a staring contest before he thumbed through the page to where the article started. We both read it, bursting out laughing at the ridiculous claims that 'They've always been involved' and that 'I saw them making out at Pillar's birthday bash once. It was so _hot _but I swore on my life I wouldn't tell a soul.'

"We made out at Pillar's party, Teme?"

Sasuke smirked, "Don't tell me you forgot? It was rather _hot_, as you know."

"Fuck! I can't believe I don't remember such a thing! Shame on me! Shame!"

"Gotta love the media," Iruka was finally down from his laughing high, wiping the tears out of his eyes. "They pretty much do everything for you."

"But we haven't come out officially yet!" I whined. "This is funny and all—like freaking hilarious. But I wanted to do the big reveal... you know, all formal like." I bit my lower lip. I've actually be planning out a in-depth plan on Sasuke and I's coming out to the world about our relationship. It started out with a press conference and ended with us making sweet love in a honey moon suite.

It was the perfect plan.

Sasuke placed his hand on top of mine. "We still could. If you wanted."

"S-Seriously...?"

"No, Naruto. I just offered to be a troll."

"You would do that..."

Sasuke scoffed and poked me in the temple. "Dobe. I said this once, and I'll say it again because you're obviously thick in the head. I love you and I want the whole world to know it. You're mine; I'm yours. That's how it's going to be."

A wicked blush scarred my face and before I knew it I had pulled Sasuke over for a passionate kiss. When we broke apart Iruka was fanning himself with the magazine.

"You guys... you're too cute. Really. Now finish up my breakfast! I slaved over a hot stove to cook this for you all!"

"Iruka..." I stared down at the two bowls of Cocoa Puffs, "you gave us cereal this morning..."

Iruka scoffed, "That I poured over a stove! No more back sass! Eat up your cereal or I'm grounding you two for a week!"

One week... Terrifying, really. But I loved Mom so I listened to him anyways... besides, he made a banging bowl of Cocoa Puffs.

* * *

><p>Okay, a little run down of how things are going to turn out. I've decided I'm going to put a few fillers of romantic fluff and smut for the next couple of chapters. Depends on my inspiration. Then I'm going to drag another character in. One you guys will love very much ;D. And I might make it a sub-plot. So guess who the character could beeeee! SEE IF YOU CAN GET INTO THE ASYLUM THAT IS MY MIIIIIIND! After that we'll get into Sasuke's closet of dirty gym clothes and all hell shall break loose... again.<p>

I'm also in a debate on whether or not I want to post a oneshot collection today or work on my short-chapter based SasuNaru story that is always begging to be written... Hmm. Decisions. We shall see later on tooooday!

NOW GUYS. I HOPE YOU ENJOYED THE CHAPTER OF I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT! STAY BEAUTIFUL WHILE I GO OUT TO BUY MYSELF FOOD THAT IS PROBS NOT HEALHTY FOR ME WOOT! Also, if you'd like to roleplay with me there are still many spots available. Come, you too can have a Naruto whoring you up in shameless ways~

I'm going to shut up now c:


	32. Rumored Truths

I'm sorry this is a week late! I was so distracted by roleplaying and IMVU that I had to work on this in chunks ;A;. This little fluffy filler with a tad bit of foreshadowing!

Woop!

**Warning: I may or may not be running out of ideas on how to keep this interesting. The fillers I mean. Not the central plot. I have one sub-plot so far but if you guys have any ideas throw them my way. Now onto the actual warning... FLUFF AND DEMENTED HUMOR WHAAAAAT. Also I make Neji flamboyantly arrogant? HOHOHOHO. IT'S HIS HAIR. HIS HAIR JUST MAKES ME WANT TO UNF ;A;.**

**Disclaimer: I OWN NOTHING EFFFFF /FLIPS CANADA **

Enjoy! And sorry to Canda for flipping you! First country to come to mind~

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><p><strong>Chapter Thirty-Two: Rumored Truths <strong>

Now I'm going to be completely honest here... Sometimes _I'm _even shocked about the rainbow crap the media somehow manages to pull out from their asses. Remember how I said they were having a freaking picnic over Sasuke's and I's public display of affection on stage...?

Well, in the span of a week we've seen stories along the lines of this:

_LOVERS FROM THE BEGINNING, ONLY TO BE STRENGTHED BY TERRIBLE MISHAPS._

_TWO, ATTRACTIVE MALES, HAPPEN TO GIVE EACH OTHER "THE LOOK"? HOW LONG HAVE KIT AND RAVEN BEEN HIDING THEIR LOVE?_

_KIT AND RAVEN. STAR-CROSSED LOVERS CONNECTED BY THE STAGE AND THE STRINGS OF THEIR LYRICS. A PASSIONATE LOVE STORY INDEED._

And then, the most coarse and blunt headline Teme and I have come across:

_SOURCES LEAD US TO BELIEVE THAT RAVEN AND KIT HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN A SEXUAL RELATIONSHIP FOR YEARS! "IN CONCLUSION, THEY FUCK LIKE BUNNIES." THE SOURCE STATED._

Oh... that one gave me a good laugh for _hours_.

+MAXED-OUT+

Really though, the media was such a strange thing. They go from tearing me down to loving me in a matter of... a week.

"I think they're aliens," I concluded one day during breakfast.

Sasuke had his toast sticking out of his mouth, eyebrow cocked proudly in the air. "Oh really?"

"No! Here me out!" I pointed my spoon at him, completely serious. "Like, I have met some crazy ass people in my life but the media... they're another freaking story! Take Linx, right? One minute they want to burn me at the stake, the next they want to love me and ask for _interviews_!" It's like, hello? Do you _not _remember the three weeks of Hell you put me through.

Because I remember it, vividly.

And I have little "presents" set up to be sent to _all _of you that coincidentally look like and go off just like bombs... hehehe.

Perhaps my experience with the asshole who shall not be named _has _rubbed off on me.

Sasuke chuckled, not taking my words seriously—fucker. He poked me on the nose and smirked. "Sure, I hate Linx as much as you do but this could be worse. They could be destroying us like other magazines about our 'supposed' relationship."

Oh yeah, guys. As much as the attention on our relationship has been rather positive, we have had a few bumps here and there... Especially with the more conservative magazines and media outlets around town. Sure, I could really not find a fuck to give whether or not they all approve—even though we haven't made anything official out to the world yet—but some of the things they said was really uncalled for.

"I'm pretty sure I've never made a show of being a little fairy boy," that one really cut a hole deep in my pride. I don't even sparkle! Okay... except for one time... but. No! I don't sparkle!

"I don't know... I have seen you prance around the Penthouse a few times..."

"Skipping, fucker. _Skip. Ping._"

"Nope. Most definitely a prance. I'd categorize it as a unicorn trot, almost."

"You know that blowjob I promised you after breakfast?"

"Yes?"

"Use your damn hand."

And _that _is what you get for accusing me of prancing.

+MAXED-OUT+

"_Oh, Naruto! Are you going tonight?" _

I was having such a beautiful nap and Kiba just had to wake me up with his annoying, personalized ring tone... Groaning, I slapped the phone to my ear and growled. "Going where, fucker?"

"_Ouch. I'm hurt at your harsh words!"_

"I will destroy you. Where. The fuck. Do you think I'm going?"

Kiba scoffed. I swear to God he wanted to end up in a grave today. _"Pillar's party, obviously! They're inviting everyone from school to go!"_

"Fuck..." I rubbed my forehead at the thought. Pillar's parties were epic, obviously. Pillar was an up-and-coming music group specializing in mixing the violin with an electronic and pop beat. Neji Hyuuga, Shikamaru Nara, and TenTen made up Pillar. Shikamaru and Tenten were cool kids, but Neji—the little prick who played the violin—really got on my nerves.

Mostly because whenever Sasuke was around looking distance Neji dropped all of his shame—whatever he had of it, anyways—to flirt with him.

Not even subtle flirting. It would be the whole body-on-body thing you only see on those ridiculous trashy TV shows that come on late at night.

Of course back when Sasuke was King Whore of the whore biscuits he happily accepted Neji's advances. But now he's my bitch! Mine! So if he even looks at Neji sideways I will flip tables...

Oh who am I kidding? Sasuke only has eyes for mooooooiii~

"_What? Not invited?" _Kiba snickered. It was also no secret that I hated Neji. Neji hated me. We were all one, big hating family.

"Bitch you can't invite one half of MAXED-OUT and not the other. It's like... a crime." Also Neji wasn't an idiot. Okay. He _was _but not in the way that would have the media throwing backlash stories at him for inviting Raven and not Kit.

We're called a _unit _for a reason.

"_Yeah. Sure. Everyone around town knows Neji's got the hots for your man candy. I wouldn't put it passed him to 'accidentally' forget your invite."_

"Kiba. Let's get real here... When does _anyone _who shows up at one of Pillar's parties actually got an invite?"

I'm only going to partially hate myself for admitting this, because after all I do like two-thirds of the people in Pillar. But their parties are the _best_. Literally. If you haven't gone to one of Pillar's parties you have not lived. And I'm not even saying that because the majority of people who go there aren't your common folk. Those kids really know how to throw one hell of a bash...

I finally rolled out of bed, finishing off my conversation with Kiba. We planned to meet each other by Shikamaru's bar where Kiba would beg for shots and the bartender would reject him multiple times because of last year when Kiba got shitfaced and nearly burned down Neji's house...

Yeah... I so totally didn't supply him with the idea to do that.

When I finally made contact with the outside world, aka the living room, Sasuke was sitting on the floor with a whole colony of books spread out around him.

Aww, he was even wearing glasses.

He looks so cute with glasses.

"Hey love," I cooed, sitting down behind him and wrapping my arms around his waist. I pressed a kiss to the back of his neck.

"Hn."

Well then. I pouted and played with the nape of his neck. Sasuke was on Nazi-study mode and absolutely nothing would bring him out of it... Well...

Oh, I am going to get punched so badly but the winds of not giving a fuck are blowing strong today~

I licked the back of his neck—which I've recently discovered was one of his various sweet spots—starting from the bottom all the way to where his hair starts showing. There I bit down softly, sucking on the spot until I could see a tiny little flush skitter up on his skin.

Ha, points for me!

"Dobe..."

"Don't use that warning tone with me, Sa-su-ke~" I purred into his ear, innocently slipping my hands up his shirt. Hard muscles connected with my fingertips, payment for years of strenuous workouts to get us in tip top shape. My thumb just happened to brush up on a nipple before Sasuke clamped down on my hand and glared.

"Stop," he hissed.

I pouted. "Come on! I'm really in the mood..."

"Tough luck, I'm studying."

"Tch. Doesn't look like that to me."

Sasuke spread his hand out as if he were showing me the great plains over looking Pride Rock.

"Do you not see all the books?"

"I'm turning a blind eye to them..."

Sasuke scoffed and pushed me off. Ugh, rude! "Naru, I love you. But I need to catch up on my studies."

"Summer vacation's almost here, though!" Only two more weeks and school would be out! I'd be a free man! The world would be ready for the destroying at the hands of all the things I wanted to do.

"Exactly," he said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Last time I checked you had a lot of assignments needing to be finished as well."

"Yeah but they all know I'm not going to do it!" I laid on the floor, resting my head in his lap. "I'm a victim, love! A response to a tragic crime that I had no control over! Oh woe is me and my psyche!" I flailed my arm over my face dramatically. "How do they ever expect such a traumatized student to go through taxing things such as homework!"

"Very touching," Dammit. Sasuke wasn't being fooled. Though he had started to stroke my hair... which was nice.

I sighed, relaxing into his touch. "Okay. Okay. I'll pick up some of my work..."

"Hn."

"Will you help me?" I tilted my head up.

He peered down at me, our eyes locking. Sasuke smirked and pressed a kiss to my forehead. "Of course. Can't have my dobe failing now can I?"

"Oh you're too sweet," I muttered, pulling him down for a _real _kiss.

Ha, I was secretly trying to distract him still. I am such a stubborn little fucker.

After our quick little kiss I decided to let Sasuke go and do his thing, but I still laid on his lap because, come on, his lap is so comfy! And I actually had something to tell him...

"Pillar's party's tonight." nonchalance; that was my goal.

"So I've heard." Sasuke flipped to the next page, eyes scanning over whatever he was reading.

Sasuke wasn't a big fan of parties... or Pillar, to be exact.

Well he's not much of a fan of anything...

I need to buy him a goldfish.

"If we go we could use it as our chance to come out. You know, officially." even though we didn't really see the point of it anymore since everyone's suspicions were more or less right...

God, the media knew how the suck the fun out everything!

Sasuke sighed, closing his book and pushing his glasses up to his hairline. Obviously I have beaten his mental tenacity. Yes! Victory! He flicked me in the forehead with a playful scowl. "Baaaka. What makes you think I'm going to that bastard Neji's house?"

"Well I just assumed..." I rubbed my abused forehead, frowning at my rather violent boyfriend.

"Assumed wrong," he snorted.

"But we have to go!"

"Since when are you eager to go to Pillar's parties?"

"It's only Neji I hate! Everyone else are cool kids. Besides!" I threw my arm around his shoulders and pecked his cheek. "I wanna see the look on Neji's face when we show the whole world just how maaadly in love we are."

Sasuke smirked, patting the back of my head. "You are truly one evil son of a bitch, Naru..." he chuckled and nuzzled his nose into my hair. "Alright. Fine. If only to see Hyuuga suffer."

"YES!" Jumping up and pulling Uchiha with me, I dragged him to our room where I proceeded to dive into our closet for outfits to wear.

Contrary to believe I am a fashion _genius _while Sasuke's the pretty little model who stands there and just... looks pretty. He knows nothing about fashion. Which is ironic considering the Uchiha's have a very tight hand on the fashion industry—among others.

Hmmmm...

"Uzumaki I am not about to wear that."

I frowned, pulling the purple pants that I _adore _down from my face. "Why not? Purple's your color!"

Sasuke huffed. "No means no, Dobe. Try again."

"Dammit I don't know how you survived being so fashionably inept all these years..." I muttered and dove into the closet again.

About one hundred disagreements later...

I stepped back to admire my work with a grin. "Man I do some _good _work." Sasuke had finally relented to wearing a white button up with the cuffs tucked, a dark navy blue vest, blow bow-tie, and a pair of skinny jeans and a studded belt. Yes. Yes I made my man look _very _sexy.

Sasuke snorted, fixing his cuffs out of embarrassment. "Don't flatter yourself too much."

You say that yet you can't stop checking yourself out.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say." I could not hear his idle complaints over the sound of me working on my sexy look. It was definitely a blazer sort of night. So I picked out a black one, paired it off with light purple shirt, skinnie jeans, and a pair of gloves.

"Sexy, right?" I winked, twirling my body around so Sasuke could get all 360 degrees of my sexiness.

Sasuke cocked an eyebrow and before I knew it he was pulling me into his body. I yelped as he squeezed my sides and buried his face into my neck.

"Are you really trying to get me out of the house when you're dressed like that?" he kissed up all the way into my ear and sighed, "Dressing like this... Teasing me. It makes me want to take you right now."

Shivering, all I could do was wrap my arms around his neck and allow his tongue to enter my mouth. We haven't done it yet, guys. Not like I'm in any rush... or anything. Neither is Sasuke. The trouble with Vincent may be behind us but we're still trying to take time to recover over what happened.

Honestly if Sasuke wanted to have sex with me, right here right now... I might say yes.

But I have no idea if _Sasuke _would go through it.

When his lips left mine, a soft blush was on my face. Sasuke smiled and kissed my forehead repeatedly. At this rate we were never going to leave. I sighed, burying my face into his chest.

"Make love to me right here, huh?" I lazily traced circles on his vest. "Say screw it with Neji's party and screw ourselves silly instead."

"It's a pleasant thought."

"Quite," I looked up in his eyes, searching for any hesitance. A flicker of it came and went like a bullet train. Another sigh escaped my lips. No. Don't say anything, Uzumaki. You know Sasuke has skeletons in his closets that haven't tried to come back and murder him... or kidnap his boyfriend. Okay, that made no sense but let's move on. I stepped out Sasuke's embrace and intertwined our fingers. "I promised Kiba I'd go tonight, though. The fucker wouldn't hang up with me unless otherwise. So let's go have some fun, ne?"

+MAXED-OUT+

As expected, the minute we stepped into Neji's doors there were paparazzi _everywhere_. Not like Neji probably cared. He was an attention whore through and through.

"Kit, Raven!" Good Lord here he comes... Neji sauntered over to us wearing a very nice Armani suit. Probably hand tailored just for him, the rich bastard. "So glad you could make it."

"Glad to be here," Sasuke replied smoothly.

Out of the two of us, he was the only one who wouldn't punch Neji in the face as a greeting.

Instead I shoved down all my animosity and gave Neji a smile. "Hey there, Hyuuga. You're looking rather fancy tonight."

"But of course," oh God I really want to punch him in that haughty face of his now... He casually brushed off my existence like the fucker he was and placed a hand on Sasuke's arm.

Okay. He is dead. He is fucking _dead_.

"Sasuke, it's been way too long. We must catch up again. I have so much to talk with you about..." then he leaned in and lowered his voice, acting like I couldn't hear him at all. "Those rumors aren't true, are they? You and Naruto are not...?"

Sasuke smiled at him—which meant this fucker was dead meat—and not-so-nicely pried Neji's hand off of him. He held my hand tightly and leaned in with a smirk. "You tell me?" he asked, motioning to our hands before he pulled me off onto the dance floor.

Ha! Take that you Armani worshiper! Try to flirt with my boyfriend in the face of the cameras, nope!

And did I mention that Sasuke _still_ didn't let go of my hand. Not while we were moving through the crowd, not when we met up with our friends and shared a couple of stories and games, and not even when everyone separated with their dates to immerse themselves into some slow dancing.

"This is nice," our bodies were pressed close together, my arms wrapped securely around his neck. "We should go out and dance more often. You know, now that the whole world knows."

Not like we were making any effort to be secretive.

Sasuke smile and dipped me. The fucker knows I hate being dipped! He pulled me back and continued to guide my body around and around the dance floor. "A public date? Outside the safe world of our living room and countless movie collections?"

"I know. Scary, huh?"

"Frightening."

We're such a hilarious unit.

Even though there were a million eyes watching us, probably snapping pictures, tweeting, updating Facebook, Tumbling, whatever... all I could focus on was Sasuke. How he gazed at me like I was the only one who mattered. How he tickled my sides every once in a while to get me to giggle. How he kissed me at random parts of the songs whenever a mushy lyrics came on.

"_If I just lay here... will you lie with me and just forget the world?"_

When that song came on I was pretty sure my lips were all red and wet from all the kissing Sasuke was doing...

Not that I'm complaining...

"Are you... really okay with this?" I couldn't help but ask. Nervousness was attacking me at heavy speeds. Only a few months before Sasuke was saying we should keep our relationship under wraps. I mean, I know there's not much we can do. The media pretty much spewed out the warped truth and to deny everything now would be pointless but...

Sasuke scowled and cupped my chin, forcing my eyes to look at him. "Dobe I really forgot how stupid you could be. How many times do I have to pound it into your skull for you to understand? I love you. Now shut up and dance with me."

I chuckled breathlessly as I was swept away by his tempo. I smiled sheepishly. "Sorry. You know how thick headed I am..."

"Sadly," he smirked.

For the rest of the night I was by Sasuke side. Doing things we should have been doing in public a _long _time ago. A few people even came up to say congratulations and take pictures of us hugging or kissing. It was weird and Sasuke nearly bit off a few heads. Sakura and Ino were a bawling, blubbering mess when the truth was confirmed. I made sure to stay the hell away from them for a while because their nails were just manicured and...

Girls with manicured nails are scary!

We had so many laughs.

A lot of spilled drinks on account Kiba somehow managed to weasel himself some alcohol.

A lot of flirty comments.

And just... so much fun.

It was a great illusion to shield us for what was coming next.

A redheaded shadow from the past...

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><p>So next chapter will dig in only a tiny bit to who this redhead might be c; Then I'm going to throw in Itachi in the SAME CHAPTER. And then start on the sub-plot. Shouldn't last too long~ After that then I'll fuck with Sasuke.<p>

NO REGRETS!


	33. I've Already Bought You Tickets

**Warning: Sasuke's POV and a kick off to our sub-plot c; We'll see where the wind takes us~ **

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything but my crappy art skills holla!**

Sorry I made you guys wait so long! I really don't know what to say so I'll just hurry along my way D; Enjoy guys!

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><p><strong>Chapter Thirty-Three: I Already Bought You Tickets<strong>

So... we came out. And honestly it wasn't that big of a deal. A few people looked our way and sneered at us. When that happened Naruto casually flipped them the bird we continued on our way. Our sales didn't even tank. If anything they skyrocketed for a good three months. Kyuubi said they're projected to grow at a steady rate for the next year.

Tsunade and Jiraiya were ecstatic to here about that.

Also school was finally out. Naruto barely managed to pass through, with a lot of help from yours truly . We did late night cram sessions for a week _straight _to fit in whatever Naruto didn't know. My sleep is out of whack from all of that.

The effort was worth it, though, to see my boyfriend as happy as he was. Because... we graduated.

Oh God... we graduated.

"Teme..." Naruto and I were one of the bands performing on the graduation stage. We were wearing Charisma's colors—purple and white. Our hands were clasped and I was adjusting his extensions so they fell just right.

"Hn?" There. I pulled back, allowing Naruto's extend blond locks to follow my finger tips, all done.

"Can you believe that we've finally graduated? I mean," his eyes fanned out to the crowd. Our class was seated in the front row, everyone adorned in their purple gowns. He squeezed my hand. "We've been with everyone for _years_. Okay, I've been with them for at least three or four years. But you've been with them since middle school, right? I... I know we'll all still be in the same Company and the Towers but we'll all be going off to our jobs. We'll be touring. Sakura and Ino will be modeling. Lee and Kiba will have movies to shoot for. Gaara will be shacked up in his house writing the next best thing. I just..."

I kissed him. An always effective way to shut Naruto up when he was in the middle of rambling. And yes, a good portion of the crowd freaked out from our display of affection.

"You're acting like you'll never see anyone again. Don't be stupid. Do you really think Kiba is going to stop bugging you? That Gaara won't ever check up on you? Or that Ino and Sakura won't try to barge their way into our house? Get real. You won't lose track of those people even if you tried." sometimes it amazed me how worked up Naruto could get over pointless things. Really, how could he ever process the thought that friends like those would leave him in a second's notice?

It vaguely made me wonder if Naruto thought in such a way about _me._

Naruto finally smiled, big and bright. "You're right, Teme."

"Hn." Of course I'm right. When am I ever wrong?

Though I didn't say those words out loud, Naruto could read my mind easily enough and punched me in the arm. "Cocky bastard," he muttered.

"The cockiest," I smirked. Jiraiya came up to us after that and gave us our cue to go on stage. We nodded, did our usual ritual, and then ran out on stage. The entire crowd went ballistic when we stepped out. I'm not going to lie, I did love the attention. And when I glanced out of the corner of my eye to watch Naruto, I could see he was soaking in the applause.

As usual.

Naruto really lit up when he was on stage.

"Can you believe it guys? We're officially graduated! No more early morning wake up calls! No more homework or tests to freak out over! We're free!"

I scoffed and flicked him on the side of the head. "Baaaka. Just because we've graduated doesn't mean we won't have heaps of work placed on our shoulders."

Naruto pouted and I resisted the urge to make out with him on stage. "I know! But at least it won't involve ridiculous amount of paperwork! I swear this school goes through more trees than I lose pencils." Naruto did lose a lot of pencils...

Fanservice was cut short with a little going away speech Naruto had come up a week ago. A rather nice and touching speech about how we're all going to make names for ourselves. That he had faith in everyone's talents and how far it was going to bring them in the end. Touching, really, and a few tears were seen dotting the crowd.

Hell, even Naruto was crying.

I placed an arm on his shoulder, microphone posed over my mouth, jumping into our first song of the night.

We only sang three songs because we weren't the only ones performing tonight. When we were done applause flooded the room and Naruto was bawling... again.

"There go your pregnant woman mood swings," I muttered, opening my arms for him to fall into.

Naruto wrapped his arms around me. "Bastard. Shut up... We haven't even had sex yet."

Yet.

I smirked and kissed him on the crown of his head. "Right. Right. Now let's go. Iruka probably has a big dinner at home waiting for us."

And he did. When we got home that night Iruka had called over our friends and held one big bash. He cooked all our favorites, along with little desserts—with the help of Nigel who was also invited—and threw us a great party. Which means a lot since I don't generally like people...

"Uchiha! Come play a round with me!" Kiba would be on the top of the list of people who annoy the crap out of me. I deal with him for Naruto's sake.

I rolled my eyes, too comfortably sitting on the couch to risk moving. "Not a chance, Inuzuka."

"Afraid you'll lose?"

Nope. I will not let a vein pop.

"Oh come, Uchiha. You dance for a living!" he continued to egg on. "This should be an easy win for ya!"

"He's got a point, Teme."

Don't push him on, Naruto.

I was more than content to sit here on the couch cuddled up with Naruto. But no. Kiba wouldn't let sleeping dogs lie. He began clucking, and making crude jabs. I finally gave in and grabbed the Wii remote with a scowl.

"When I win, which I _will_," I hiss sharply. "You will be my slave for the rest of the night. You do whatever I say. You don't backtalk. God it, mutt?"

Good, tremble in fear like the child you are. I will enjoy whooping your ass thoroughly.

The endgame score wasn't even close. I won by a margin.

Naruto walked up and patted his loser of a friend on the shoulder. "Kiba... you're such a punk."

"Shut up!"

+MAXED-OUT+

"Sasuke! Look! The ocean!"

I glanced out the window to meet sparking blue waters and golden yellow sand. Smirking, I tugged Naruto down so he sat on the train seat like a normal human being. "Yes. It is very pretty. Now sit down you're drawing too much attention."

Though that wasn't hard to do since MAXED-OUT was riding a public train to the beach...

Naruto's idea, not mine.

Iruka and Kakashi were also accompanying us. If that was a plus side to anything. They were curled up into each other, Iruka hunched up with his shoes off and a book in his head. Kakashi was also reading a book but unlike Iruka the book he was reading was most likely filled to the brim with erotica.

Really that man has no shame...

We were dropped off by the boardwalk, fresh sea air hitting our senses. Naruto literally got down and kissed the ground, blessing this day and thanking God for creating the beach. I kicked him in the back and headed over to the hotel.

I wasn't much of a beach person but Naruto had bothered me nonstop on wanting to go since we didn't have any tours, concerts, or promotional videos to do in the second to last week of June. So after a lot of begging—and he was very persuasive with his hands—I caved.

I caved so bad.

Then, Iruka and Kakashi caught wind of our trip and decided they wanted to come along too. I had no problem with that. Naruto whined. I flicked him in the forehead, promptly quieting him. We made sure to keep our trip on the down low—all our friends were off working—but since Naruto knows nothing of the word "discreet" I wouldn't be surprised if our beach trip hit the shelves by this afternoon.

Naruto plopped down on _one _of the two plush beds in our hotel room. We'd obviously only be using one. For kicks Iruka wanted to rent us out the honeymoon suit. Naruto happily stringed around for the ride. Me being the only one with common sense put my foot down. And, eventually, we went with a smaller, less expensive, but still rather nice room...

With a hot tub.

"Can you believe we get to kick back and relax for a _week_?" Naruto sighed, sinking into the bed. "Nothing but fun in the sun! And the best part is I get to spend my week with you."

I grinned, climbing onto the bed to tower over him. He wrapped his arms around my neck automatically and our lips met. Our hips melded, our chests touched. My heart was beating so maddeningly loud against my ribcage I was sure the people next door could hear me.

Naruto moaned in bliss as our lips parted, resting his head on my chest. Listening to the sound of my hyperactive heart. "Have I ever told you how much I love listening to your heartbeat?"

I held onto him tightly, burying my face into his shoulder. If this continued we'd probably spend our first day at the beach cuddling and kissing. I wouldn't mind that development, though, but Naruto would throw a hissy fit.

"Nope, I don't think you have."

"It's calming."

"That's nice."

"I even wrote a song for it."

"You did?"

"Yup!" he answered, not even the slightest bit embarrassed. "But it's not done yet! A work in progress—one of my greatest hits, Uchiha!"

"I better be the first one to hear it when you're done."

"You'll be the only one to hear it when it's done."

"A song just for me, huh? Now I feel like I have to do the same thing."

"You don't have to do anything for me, Sasuke." he reached up and cupped my cheek, stroking it with his thumb. The look in his eyes had me drowning.

I leaned into his touch and kissed his palm. "You're wrong, Naruto. I want to do _everything _for you."

We didn't go out to meet the outside world until two hours later, hands intertwined and blushes scarring our skins.

+MAXED-OUT+

"... No."

"But—"

"No, Dobe! Put it down!"

"But it's so cute!"

"You say that now, but wait till it tries to tear off your nose with its claws." my dobe is such an idiot, really. He's the only one in the world who would try to convince his boyfriend that we need to adopt a crab as a pet.

As. A. Pet.

Naruto pouted and tried to shove the crab in my face. "Look at it! Loooook! He could lead us to Ariel!"

"I thought I hid The Little Mermaid," I rubbed my temples. I swear I hid that thing where he had no chance of finding it. No more Mermaid marathons I was forcibly dragged into. Life was perfect.

Obviously he found the DVD...

Naruto smirked. Good God he had found the DVD. "You thought wrong, Flounder! Come, let us follow Sebastian and go Under the Sea!"

"If you start singing that song..."

"Under da Sea!"

"No."

"Under da Sea!"

"Stop."

"Life is the bubbles!"

Naruto ate sea water after that. In the process little 'Sebastian' got swept away by the waves. Bonus points for me.

Naruto came out of the water sputtering, drenched, and annoyed. "Bastard!" he screamed, charging at me.

That was my cue to turn around and run... run like _hell_.

Iruka peered up at from his magazine, both of us soaked to the bone and visibly exhausted.

"I can't leave you boys alone for ten minutes without _something _going down between you two." He sighed and placed his book on his lap. "Who started it this time?"

"He did!" we answered at the same time, pointing at each other.

Kakashi smirked. "I put my money it was Naruto."

"Hey!" Kakashi was always my favorite.

"No way." Iruka snorted. "Sasuke must have purposely provoked Naruto in the first place. He likes to do that."

I sense favoritism swimming around...

Naruto huffed and nodded along with Iruka's crazy deduction. "Iruka's got it spot on! You see I had this crab and I wanted to adopt it as a pet!"

"Which is stupid because Naruto has no idea where that crab has been," I interjected.

"He lives in the _ocean! _It's like he's practically living in one big bath tub!"

"Full of _filth_."

"Shut up, Uchiha. Sebastian could be dead because of you."

"Don't blame me for your easy attachment to that thing. I didn't tell you to drop it."

Naruto huffed. "But you tackled me into the water!"

"Yes. And?"

"Iruka! Tell Sasuke to stop being an ass!"

"Are they like this all the time?" Kakashi asked.

Iruka sighed, watching us go at it once again, and rubbed his temples. "Sadly, yes. This used to be entertaining but now it just gets out of hand."

"Hm," he mused and leaned back into his beach chair. "I think I could get some fun out of this for a while."

+MAXED-OUT+

Night time fell by the time we got back to the hotel. Tired, worn out, and showered off all I could think about was crawling into bed with Naruto and sleeping this day off.

Sadly, while I was in bed and Naruto was in the shower, my phone rang.

Insistently.

"Itachi," I growled into the phone. He should _know _I don't want to be bothered.

"_Is that anyway to greet your older brother?" _Oh don't sound so high and mighty.

I rolled my eyes, flopping over to lie on my stomach. "Since I know the reason why you're calling me, yes. Yes it is."

"_Hn. Pray tell what's your assumption, then?"_

"You called to boast." I deadpanned. Itachi was one of the first—well, the only one really who came out and told me I liked Naruto. That we would date. And that I'd have to bring Naruto along for them to meet. Back then I was incredibly stubborn and in denial about my feelings, as you all know. But now our relationship is out. Completely. Itachi must have sat back in his chair, sipping his wine, with a smirk on his face.

That bastard.

"_Hm. So you did know my reason. Very good, Otouto." _

That. Bastard.

"Since I already know where this conversation is going to head towards, I'm going to end it. Naruto's almost out of the shower."

"_Ah, don't be so hasty. There's always a plot twist to these things. You see, I wanted to ask you something."_

I cocked my eyebrow. Itachi... asking me for something...? My heart swirled in anxiety. "... Okay."

"_Has Naruto ever been to France before?"_

Naruto walked out of the bathroom, towel hanging low of his hips. Another towel was being worked through his hair. He smirked at me, licking his lips seductively. I gulped inaudibly. Damn you, Naruto. A sudden heat was rushing too my crotch, sparked by my blond.

And if I wasn't careful Itachi would hear everything... and mock me.

"Not that I know of," I answer back casually. Naruto slips onto my lap, his towel sliding off dangerously to reveal parts of him I know oh so well.

I gulp again.

"_Ask him." _he demands.

I sigh, though it turns out sort of strangled since Naruto's kissing my throat. I glare at him, and he chuckles.

Sometimes I'm torn whether or not to punch him or make love to him.

"Naruto," I try to keep my voice leveled, "have you ever been to France?"

He snorts and look up at me like I just asked him if he ever climbed Mt. Everest. "No. Of course not. Why do you ask?"

"He hasn't," I replied into the phone, ignoring Naruto's question. He's miffed at my blow off and starts to grind down on my growing erection.

It takes all my strength not to throw my head back and moan.

"_Great!" _how is this great? Where is this going? Fuck, Naruto don't suck on my neck so hard. _"I'm glad I booked two tickets then."_

"Two tickets... for... what?" I hold back a groan. Naruto's hands had found their way up my shirt and were teasing my nipples. I glare at him, giving him a silent warning that after my conversation is done his ass is mine.

He smirked—the gesture looking too sexy for his own damn good—and twisted a nipple while biting on my neck at the same time.

Yes, he is definitely screwed after this.

"_For France," _my brother continues like the answer was obvious.

The words finally registered in my brain. I pushed Naruto away, much to his discontent, and gripped onto my cell phone. "Excuse me? But are you trying to tell me you bought us tickets? For France? Are you serious?"

"_Quite. You've been holding out on me for too long, Otouto. I had wanted to meet Naruto as soon as you mentioned him but you've been so selfish," _don't shy dramatically. I am not the one at fault here. _"Your tickets will be arriving tomorrow at the hotel you're staying at," _Of course he knows where I'm staying even if I didn't utter a word. _"I scheduled your flight to be next Monday. You two should be home from your beach trip by then. It'll be a pleasure seeing you again, and meeting your boyfriend for the first time. Good night, Otouto."_

Itachi left me to sit in my own bowl of stunned silence. I think I stared at the phone for a good two minutes before I calmly threw it down and rubbed at my eyeballs.

"Damn you, Itachi," I muttered under my breath.

"What did he do this time?" by now Naruto was fully clothed—well more clothed than he was before—wearing a pair of blue boxes. He climbed into bed and urged me to come after him.

Climbing in, I pulled him against my chest. Arms wrapped around his waist and my head buried into his shoulder, I sighed. "He wants to meet you."

"Uh huh..."

"And I've been holding out on this meeting for a while..."

"Yeah...?"

"So he bought us plane tickets for France. Apparently we leave Monday."

Naruto bolted out of my grasp. His eyes were a lit with wonder and, my dreaded fear, excitement. "France? The France? The land of romance and espionage?"

"Too much James Bond, Naru."

"Whatever! We're still going there! Your brother is the coolest, Sasuke!" he flopped on top of me, nuzzling into my neck. His affections were fueled on by his overbearing excitement from this trip.

I managed to hold back a growl that desperately wanted to break free. Itachi always had a way of bending things to get what he wanted, especially when it revolved around me. I do love my brother, really. Just his methods are... annoying.

Seriously, who goes ahead and purchases plane tickets without even telling their brother?

But Naruto was so happy... He was babbling on and on about how much fun we'd have in a new country. How Jealous Ino and Sakura were going to be that we could go to France. About all the new things we could discover together. And most of all about how he'll finally get to meet my brother.

For his sake, I'd let my inhibitions drop. France wasn't a boring country. I've been there before many times so I can show him around a lot of different places. With a smirk, I easily flipped ourselves around so that I was on top, pinning Naruto down with my body weight.

"You can be excited now, but remember I still need to punish you." I whispered seductively into his ear.

Naruto melted easily and for the rest of the night I pleasured myself with seeing Naruto succumb to my every touch.

The next day a package arrived for us.

"_From Aniki, with love." _Naruto read aloud, handing me off my plane ticket. He snickered, "Awww, he even drew a heart at the end. Your brother is so sweet!"

I promptly took the letter, crumbled it up, and ducked it in the trash.

Sweetness, my ass.


	34. Diet or Nothing

**Wow this is late! I apologize greatly! Things came up such as work and personal issues but I made sure to update today ; - ;**

**Enjoy guys!**

**Warning: Slight smut. Jumping into our France-subplot. **

**Disclaimer: Don't own a damn thing. **

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Thirty-Four: Diet or Nothing<strong>

Okay, I'm normally the type of guy who hates airplanes. You're always so freaking constricted in those seats! And sure, I may be able to fly first class but that's a _rarity_. Surprising, huh? I know. MAXED-OUT should have their own private jet that whisks them away to many, many adventures.

Yeah, no. Baa-chan doesn't give us shit.

Itachi's tickets were First Class, though. So I'm not cramped. I can't bitch about that but I _can _bitch about the fact that Uchiha wants to sleep.

The entire. Fucking. Way. There.

"I'm going to die of boredom!" I wiggle in my seat, a pout scarring my face.

Sasuke slapped his sleeping mask on and throws in his ear buds. If I didn't find him incredibly handsome I'd choke him with his headphones. Wait... that's not the right reason. "Shut up, Dobe. I'm not in the mood to entertain your hyperactive urges."

Tch. Well then. I huffed and crossed my arms. Someone wanted to play the bitch game? Hell, I _invented _that game. Two could play. And one would win.

Guess who that one is?

When the stewardess made her rounds and offered us a drink, I got my usual 7-UP and gave Sasuke Diet Cola.

He _hated _Diet Cola.

"Here's your drink," I played my poker face proudly. But on the inside I was literally cracking up like a hyena on a sugar rush.

Sasuke lifted up the side of his eye patch that covered his left eye and took my drink without any suspicion. Ha. Loser. He took a quick swig of his drink and then the world exploded. Well. Okay no. That's over exaggerating, but looking at Sasuke's face when he realized he just digested Diet instead of carbonated loving made it _seem _like the world was ending.

"Uzumaki..."

"Haaaaiii?" I batted my eyelashes like the innocent boy I was.

So very fucking innocent, indeed.

Sasuke gave me the biggest, deadliest death glare I have ever received. If I wasn't on so much of a devious high I probably would have peed my pants a little. "This is diet."

Chibi Naruto exploded into a big ball of laughter.

I stared casually at the cup in his hand. "Is it now?"

"You knew it was diet." Oh, he didn't even _question_. What a smart little boyfriend I have.

But I was a boss at playing coy. "I don't know what you're talking about~. I swear I asked for regular..."

Sasuke glared daggers at me, and I smirked back. Regretting absolutely nothing is a great feeling. But then Sasuke's glare died down and he smiled.

Smiled.

It didn't reach his eyes.

Well fuck I'm screwed.

"Are you really that desperate for my attention?" his voice danced in my ear, his fingers played with the buttons of my shirt. I gulped. No... No he wouldn't...

"S-Sasuke! What the fuck are you doing?" I hissed. His hands were getting a little Dora the Explora if you get what I'm saying. No wait... even I don't get what I'm saying. Either way those nasty little buggers were venturing places they shouldn't in a public aircraft!

I bit my lower lip to hold back a groan when Sasuke pinched my nipple through my shirt. Fucker! What sort of revenge is this?

Sasuke chuckled and gave the nub a twist. My hips bucked and I groaned low in my throat. Fuuuuuuuck. "You wanted my attention so I'm giving it to you. Isn't this what you wanted?"

Guess I should share now that my nipples are hella sensitive. Like, more than they should. And Sasuke has a field day toying and teasing them until, literally, I cum just by having them played with. Now he was going to use my kryptonite against me all because I wanted to give him diet!

Freaking, this is not something to get worked up over Teme!

"D-Dammit." My hard-on was straining against the confines of my pants. "You're one hell of a bastard, S-AH!-asuke." I glared at him through hazy blue eyes, biting my lip as jolts of electricity danced up my spine from him tweaking my nipples.

Seriously why is no one catching this guy molesting me?

Oh right. They're all either asleep or too far behind us to notice a damn thing.

Next time I accept plane tickets from my boyfriend's brother we're freaking flying Economic where everyone can see the molester my boyfriend is!

Sasuke leaned over, hand trailing down until it reached my aching crotch, and pulled on my bottom lip. "You should know better than to mess with my Cola."

All I could do was moan in response as Sasuke started to pump me through my pants. Since seatbelts weren't required right now my hips were free to buck like a bronco. I clung to him with shaky hands, eyes darting back and forth to see if anyone was coming. All the stewards and stewardesses were probably in the back playing a rogue game of poker.

Or putting snakes on a plan.

I don't know which on sounds logical at this point.

I gasped and moaned, completely at the mercy of Sasuke's kisses on my neck and stroking on my clothed cock. A wet spot was forming and my dick was twitching painfully. I could feel my orgasm steadily approaching. I clawed at his shoulders.

"C-Close!"

"Wouldn't it be great if you came and a stewardess just happened to walk by?"

I squeaked, not trusting myself to speak. All I could do was buck my hips and drown in his voice... and then I came.

But no stewardess came by. Thank God.

I had a terrible wet spot though.

Sasuke leaned back in his chair with a evil, satisfied smirk on his face. "Next time what drink will you get me?"

My breaths were staggered and pleasure-induced. I couldn't even form words, shivers still racked my body. All I could do was give him a lacking glare.

"Fuck. You."

"Anytime."

+MAXED-OUT+

By a twist of fate we landed at the airport without anything happening. For instance, like someone happening to glance down at my nether regions and deducing that I got a wonderful handjob on the plane.

Thank God I wore black pants today...

"Bathroom break," I mumbled and hastily rushed to the nearest bathroom with my carry-on that I stuffed with extra clothes just in case.

I could hear Sasuke's cackling all the way to the rest room.

Lower region completely changed I swaggered out of the bathroom without a hint of guilt on my face.

Sasuke cocked an eyebrow.

"You weren't wearing those pants before. Something happen?"

"Yeah. A bastard got too cocky and messed up my shit. Don't worry, I'll get him back."

I'd perfected my evil smile to that of Loki's with a hint of the Joker.

An evil smile that made Sasuke twitch.

That's right. This game ain't over yet.

+MAXED-OUT+

By the time we grabbed our bags, went through customs, and emerged out of the airport to climb into the Benz waiting for us, Sasuke and I were both equally frustrated.

When we go hard. We. Go. _Hard_.

To my surprise, Itachi was the one who would take us back to the house. Or wherever the hell we were staying. Sasuke wasn't clear on details.

"Hope you don't mind, Otouto. My car's in the shop and I wanted to personally greet you and your boyfriend upon your arrival."

Knowing Sasuke he'd probably throw a hissy fit if Itachi even helped an old lady across the street.

Sasuke leaned as far as he could back into the car's seat. A frown marred his face. "I don't remember giving you permission to drive my car."

Hold the freaking phone.

I shot Sasuke a look. A look that completely screamed: 'I cannot believe you just said that!' "Are you kidding me, Uchiha? This is _yours_?" Suddenly I didn't want to sit in his car. I felt like I'd do something stupid like leave a butt mark and Sasuke would have my hide.

Itachi chuckled and looked at me through the rearview mirror. "I'm assuming Sasuke hasn't told you much of his home life."

I frowned. "No not really." With my past being thrown out to the wolves we never really got the time to delve into Sasuke's shit. Then again he didn't have to tell me much. Sasuke came from a pretty wealthy family, I think I remember telling you guys. They have their foot in every single door the entertainment business had to offer. Well, except for the music industry.

That was the only one the Uchiha family stayed away from.

But yeah. Anyways. Sasuke didn't tell me anything. But I know enough from reading magazines and ease-dropping on past conversations to know one thing.

Sasuke and his father were not on good terms.

Sasuke huffed and grabbed my hand. Yes. Because grabbing my hand would fix things.

… It did.

"There's nothing to tell that he doesn't already know. Don't put foolishness into his head that he'll worry over." he squeezed my hand even tighter and I felt something in my heart give. Family; sensitive topic. When I looked up I saw a flash of pain hit Itachi's eyes that he quickly masked when he saw I was watching.

Sasuke's family; a highly sensitive topic.

The rest of the car ride was filled with awkward silence from two brothers who couldn't communicate. You know I've always wanted a brother? A little brother. Because an older brother would just be too much for me. But if I had a little brother I could protect him from everything I was exposed to. I would have someone to look after and to uphold my dignity for. Someone who'd instantly brighten when I was around. That's what I thought. Well. Used to think. Then I realized that if I had a little brother the media would attempt to eat him out alive.

I'd still do anything to protect him, of course, but it would be difficult.

I wonder if Itachi feels the same way?

Now, I'm a master of the awkward tension breaking. Mostly because I've started such tension so many times I've become somewhat of a pro of my own design. So I easily knew what to say to get the brother's talking again.

"So Itachi. I heard you play a mean game of Just Dance."

+MAXED-OUT+

So I'm too lazy to go in-depth about how our impromptu Just Dance battle royal went out. Just know that someone's leg almost got broken. A butler quit. A maid almost choked. And... I won.

I huffed and stuck up my nose, twirling my imaginary curly-q mustache. "But of course I won! Bitches gonna hate!"

Itachi and Sasuke actually found a common ground today: coming up with a way to beat me in Just Dance.

They came close.

But as I said:

I placed my hands on my hips. A victorious smile on my face. "Once again, bitches gonna hate!"

Itachi shot a look at his brother who was currently taking his frustrations out on a potted French plant. "Are you sure he does not cheat? I swear I saw him press buttons at a rapid pace..."

Sasuke swore one more time at the poor, French plant and wiped the sweat off his forehead. "No. He's completely legit. But I don't blame you for making such an assumption."

Still grinning like the boss I was because I won and got the brother's to socialize, I sat down on the couch and patted the space beside me. Sasuke plopped down beside me and I rested my head on his shoulders like I didn't just whoop his ass in front of his brother.

"So are we going to do anything special today or is your pride too bruised to go out?"

Itachi snorted. Ha! He found me funny. Bonus points for me. "I took into liberty that you two would be exhausted from your long flight so I pushed everything we need to do for tomorrow. Tonight we'll be having an in-home dinner of your favorites. You can ring in the chef and place in your orders now if you'd like."

You guys don't know how fast I ran to that phone.

"Sasuke you want spaghetti with extra tomato sauce, right?" I had the phone on hold and had already put in my order.

"Hn."

"Right. Extra tomato sauce and make it cheesy! The boy loves cheese. Oh! And, if you don't mind could you throw in a chocolate peanut butter pie? Sasuke's crazy for those!" I added that one in my hush-hush tone for the extra surprise effect.

I'm such a good boyfriend.

Order put in and mouth watering for whenever we had dinner, I walked back into the living room where Sasuke and Itachi were trapped in conversation.

"Father says he wishes to speak with you."

Well fuck.

The tension grew thicker.

"Is that why you brought me here? On some Samaritan quest to fix my relationship with Father?"

"No. I truly wished to see you and your lover."

"Convenient alibi."

I heard a heavy sigh come from Itachi. It was a sigh weighed down by years of regrets. "Believe what you want but I didn't bring you hear to start up an altercation. Father is around but I told him I won't bring you anywhere near him unless _you _want to be brought there. In my opinion I think you should bury your grudges and move on for Mother's sake but—"

"_Don't_ bring Mother into this!" the rage was caked solidly into Sasuke's words that even _I _had to take a step back. And taking a step back led me to knocking over a vase. A vase that promptly met its maker that was, the floor.

Well fuck.

The Uchiha brothers gave me equal looks of confusion. I looked to their faces, back to the vase, to their faces, to the vase. To Sasuke's ass. Back to the face.

"Umm... I can pay for this. Really. I can."

Itachi blinked and for a minute I thought he was going to say: "With your paycheck? I doubt it!" but instead he chuckled and went over to offer his hand. "It's quite alright, Naruto. I found that vase tacky anyways."

Oh thank God. I didn't want to say anything about the vase but I'm glad he feels the same way...

"That's good! Because I really didn't think I'd be able to pay for this. Just for humor's sake... how much did that vase cost?"

Sasuke was bent down picking up the pieces, his face debating whether or not he was going to smirk at me or frown at the mess. "If I remember correctly I think we bought this vase for ten."

"Ten dollars?" I cocked my eyebrows. "No wonder it was so tacky! I could definitely pay that back!"

"Million." and then Sasuke smirked.

"... Never mind I take that back."


	35. Tangled Sheets

WUT I AM NOT DELAYED? NOPE. NOOOOPE! Okay I am so in this chapter they finally DO THE DEED! But I didn't make it explicit because I don't want my story to be taken down ; - ;. But it's enough to satisfy you guys (; So anyways, this chapter leads into our next arc. The arc revolving around Sasuke~ HOHOHOHO. It shall be fun I swear it :D

Also I have a new SasuNaru story in the works. It'll be in "books" with short chapters focusing on Naruto's POV c; But I won't post it until I'm done with the first book so until then enjoy MAXED-OUT~

**Warning: This chapter was pretty much for the fuckery... not gonna lie. **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but my Tumblr RP. **

ENJOY EVERYONE (:

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><p><strong>Chapter Thirty-Five: Tangled Sheets <strong>

I knew today was going to be a shitty day because I woke up at six o'clock... in the summer.

No human being is supposed to wake up that early during the _summer_.

When I woke up Sasuke wasn't by my side, which was pretty freaking weird because he was _always _there when I woke up.

Now I knew I was going to have a terrible day.

I didn't crawl out of bed five minutes later because I had the crazy notion that I wasn't really awake, but I was still dreaming and when I open my eyes I'd be cuddled up to Sasuke's chest like I normally was.

Well... I opened my eyes again. And Sasuke _still _wasn't there. So that's when I finally got my ass out of bed and went downstairs to the dining room. Itachi was there, reading his morning paper with an plate full of crumbs and his normal coffee cup up to his lips. I grabbed my normal plate of English muffins and bacon from the in-kitchen waiting table, place, thingy, whatever you call it when you're damn rich to afford something like that, and slipped into a chair.

"Where's Sasuke?" Don't you see how much of a worried, caring boyfriend I am guys?

Itachi flipped to the next page. "I don't know."

And then... there's Itachi.

This was really rattling me. If Sasuke left he would written me a note or shot me a text saying he was going somewhere. Not that I'm clingy or anything! Just... I don't know. I feel weird not starting off my day without him by my side. Eating my breakfast didn't feel the same without Sasuke. And Itachi was too engrossed in his freaking French news to pay attention so I was literally sitting there having a conversation with myself.

"Lovely weather today huh, Naruto?"

"Oh yes! Most definitely! A great day for a morning jog."

"Should probably do one of those while I'm here."

"Naaaaah. This is a vacation! Jiraiya wouldn't expect us to train when we're on a day off! That's communism!"

"Naruto...?"

"Yes, Itachi?"

"Do you normally talk to yourself after breakfast?"

"... Only on Tuesdays."

"But today's Thursday."

"... Then you're just one lucky Uchiha."

+MAXED-OUT+

After that awkward breakfast I camped out in the living room waiting for Sasuke. I probably sat there for around three hours until he sneaked in through the door.

"Busted!" Who told you that you could run away from the Uzumaki? A liar! That's who!

Sasuke didn't even look shameful. The bastard. Instead he folded his arms and gave me a look. "For what?"

Be strong, Uzumaki. Don't let his apathy wear you down! "You know what!"

"Obviously I don't if I'm asking, Dobe."

"You fucking let me wake up by myself, that's what, Teme!"

Don't. Break. Uzumaki. You are a pillar of fire! Sasuke's ice can not freeze you today!

Sasuke scoffed and walked over to where I was sitting. He let his arms drape lazily on my shoulders and kissed my forehead. Gosh darn it I was losing so badly right now. "Makes my heart beat to know you're getting clingy over me."

I scowled and flicked him on the nose. "I-I am not clingy!"

"Oh but you are." Sasuke smirked.

Tch. Nope. No way am I clingy. Nope. Not in the bit. But I was happy Sasuke was back... though I'm still mad confused on why he wasn't next to me this morning!

"Are you going to answer my question or play dumb?"

"It's a surprise." Sasuke's smirk only grew bigger and I was sure he had to be screwing with me. Then he pulled me in for a kiss and I momentarily couldn't really care. "You'll love it." he whispered against my lips before he walked out.

I let my fingertips fall to my lips. "Maybe today's going to be good after all..."

+MAXED-OUT+

"Holy crap! Look at the view!"

"Don't lean over too far or you'll fall off."

"Psh! No way am I gonna fall—Whoa!"

"Idiot!" Sasuke's arms were locked around me tightly, protecting me from a rather fatal fall. He pulled us back and we fell on our butts, much to the amusement of everyone around us. Sasuke growled and poked my temple. "Do you _ever _listen?"

I puffed out my cheeks. "I was listening... but the view!"

"Yes. I know. The Eiffel Tower has an amazing view. That doesn't mean you risk your life trying to see it better."

As you may have guessed, Sasuke's surprise was a fancy little French date for the two of us. Apparently he went out in the morning to scope out spots he knew I'd enjoy. Like the Eiffel Tower, for example. And just before we stopped at a corner cafe and I had the greatest crepes _ever_. I giggled, the memories of our day so far giving me a happy euphoria, and pecked him on the cheek.

"I knew you'd come to save me, though. So why can't I be a little risky?"

Sasuke sighed and helped me up, intertwining his hand with mine. "I'm spoiling you too much." he muttered, pulling me over to a pair of standing binoculars where I wouldn't have the chance to injure myself.

I roll my eyes, grinning. "You do. But you love to spoil me."

And really he couldn't deny that.

Our last stop of the day was just walking around the city, to get a feel of it when it's late at night and the streets really come alive. Shops glittered like jewels all around us, people laughed and conversation flowed freely. I gripped Sasuke's hand tightly. "You know this reminds me of our debut song; _Outbreak._" One of our greatest hits in Japan's opinion. When we first sang Outbreak on stage the whole crowd was in an uproar and after that MAXED-OUT got a lot more recognition.

"I remember," Sasuke mused softly. "Back then I couldn't stand you."

"Funny. My feelings exactly." I snuggled closely. If you asked me a few years ago whether or not I could see Sasuke and I like we are now, in love and together, I probably would have punched you in the face and then kicked you while you were down. Because Sasuke was my rival. My enemy. The person I wanted to see licking my boots clean and giving me respect. The person I secretly wanted to be... in some aspects.

When I started to fall for him... I don't really know. But I'm guessing it was gradual because when I finally realized how much I wanted to be with him, my face was already kissing the ground.

Sasuke started to hum the slow, hypnotic melody to Outbreak. A melody we knew by heart. I closed my eyes and sang along.

"_Hey you, out there. Looking at me like I am nothing. I'm here to tell you that you better watch your back cuz I'm coming out. I'm breaking through. Knocking down doors and building up towers of might." _

"_Watch out. A fire's coming. Everybody run for center stage. Put your hands to the sky and shout to the heavens. The whole city's burning but we're all enjoying the midnight air and the music that boils our blood."_

"_An Outbreak, they call us. A revolution we scream."_

"_Bruises and scars, marks and words printed on our skin. Flames are dancing but we couldn't care less."_

Breaking our uber cute moment I couldn't help but snort. "I can't believe we debuted with such a grungy, let's take down the world, sort of song."

"We were both going through rebellious phases at the time."

"True. True. I remember I put glue in Jiraiya's shampoo bottle once because he wouldn't let me stay up till eleven one night."

"One day I spray painted his Mercedes because he looked at me funny."

I burst out laughing at that. "Oh my God! Jiraiya was so mad! I was literally pissing my pants I was so happy you got in trouble!"

Sasuke frowned. "Well then. Thanks for sharing, Dobe."

I shrugged and kissed him on the nose. "I hated you back then. When you got in trouble it was like I hit the lottery."

Sasuke stopped us in the middle of the streets, wrapped his arms around my waist, and pulled me in for a passionate kiss. I moaned and threw my arms around his shoulders. Our tongues touched, sending electricity jumping up my spine. His hands danced down to cup my ass and squeezed. I broke apart to gasp, giving Sasuke ample enough space to latch onto my neck and suck.

"S-Sasuke..." I moaned, clinging onto his shoulders for dear life.

Sasuke licked up to my jaw and pulled on my bottom lip with his teeth. "Back to our room?" he whispered huskily.

Hell yes back to our room.

+MAXED-OUT+

I don't know who undressed who first or how we decided we were going to make love but we were well underneath the covers, naked flesh touching and crotches grinding, by the time I was even aware we were finally taking the next step.

I wrapped my arms around Sasuke's neck, burying my face into the crook of his neck. "I-I've been waiting for a really long time for this..."

Sasuke held onto me so tightly, I felt precious and safe in his arms. He kissed my forehead and whispered, "Me too."

Everything after that was mind-numbing, buzzing, pleasure. Sasuke slipped in three fingers, one after another, and had my hips bucking and stomach clenching. Then he replaced those three fingers with something much, much more filling.

My cries were probably heard all the way down the hall, I was not being quiet. Our bodies rocked to the tempo of the bed creaking. I gripped onto Sasuke, my hips rocking to meet his thrusts. I moaned his name as if I were in a trance, completely controlled by Sasuke and no one but Sasuke.

"C-Close..." my eyes squeezed shut, my stomach clenched. Dancing closer... and closer... My back arched as I came all over our stomachs, screaming out Sasuke's name. The pleasure I felt was intense, stars dotted my eyes and I violently shook as Sasuke came inside of me a few seconds later.

"Naruto..." he rasped in my ear, rolling his hips and holding onto me.

Sasuke collapsed on top of me, sticky, sweaty, panting. On a normal day I would have been grossed out and pushed him away but I found myself snuggling into him. We just made love... for the first time.

And it was amazing.

I giggled softly, burying my face into his neck. "Who would have thought our first time would be in Paris, the city of love... under your brother's roof, no less?"

"Well I certainly wasn't going to wait until we got home." Sasuke shifted so he was laying on his side and pulled me into his chest. "I wanted to connect with you no matter what..."

I blushed furiously. This blunt, romantic side of Sasuke always threw me for a loop. "Ne, while we're basking in the afterglow, did you ever finish that heart song yet?"

Sasuke chuckled. "Not yet. But it's almost done." He kissed my forehead. "I need to fine tune a few more things and then I'll be able to perform it for you."

I beamed and kissed him on the lips. "I can't wait."

So my premonition of this being a bad day was actually faulty. Today was a _great _day... It would be the next few days that actually suck.

+MAXED-OUT: Normal POV+

"Is this him?"

"Yes, sir. Our Intel captured the two walking through Paris earlier this morning. It seems as if they were on... a date, Sir."

The raven cocked his head to the side, swirling around his glass of champagne. He stared at the photograph with indifference before he tilted his glass and spilled the contents out onto the picture. "Maxwell, you know what I hate about children?"

Maxwell stiffened and slowly shook his head. "N-No sir... I don't."

The raven gazed down at the picture and frowned. "Someday, somehow, they're always going to disappoint you."


	36. Unwanted Meetings

Holy freaking cows on a Sunday morning this update is MAD DELAYED! But it goes into our second sub-arc/plot thingy so that makes up for it... right? ; - ;! ASKDLFJSDALFKJSDFDAF

Warning: Hmmmm... just put on a hard hat, okay? ;D

Disclaimer: I OWN MY ZORUA BITCHESSSS. /SHOT

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><p><strong>Chapter Thirty-Six: Unwanted Meetings<strong>

Our return trip from France was anything but peaceful. To start things off Naruto left our souvenirs for everyone in the living room when I asked him _numerous _times if he had everything.

"Shut up, Uchiha! I got this! I got this!"

I glared at him and he glared back and we stood there for a good five minutes before Itachi walked in and called us for dinner.

Then at dinner:

"Naruto are you _sure _you left the souvenirs in a place you'll remember?"

Face stuffed with food, Naruto shot me a look that said if I kept asking him he'd stab me with his fork and not feel one wink of regret. "Yes, dear." he rolled his eyes, exasperation coating his words. "Now pass me the butter you worry wart!"

And then after sex:

"Naru—"

"For the love of God, Sasuke you're ruining the damn after glow!"

So guess who left the souvenirs?

"..." I kept glaring at the blond who refused to even look at me as we were about half way from the airport turning back. "This isn't _my _fault..." he muttered under his breath.

I scoffed. "If we miss our flight because of this I'm kicking your ass out of the Penthouse."

"Oh come on! You can't place the blame on _me_! You're the reason why we're running late in the first place!"

"Yes because I was occupied trying to get your lazy ass in order."

Our tempers were already hyperactive in the first place but we were both equally irritated and annoyed and frustrated that we could miss our flight that tensions were very high. Itachi, who was squared away in the safety of the front seat, sighed as he made a U-Turn to head back.

"Children as much as seeing you two argue would entertain me, your bickering is hindering my driving skills. Either shut up or make up, okay?"

We chose to shut up because making up was just out of the question.

Sadly when we got to the airport we had missed our flight. Even when we told the woman at the stand that we were MAXED-OUT and were scheduled to return to Japan for a welcome back tour, her attitude didn't change. I could tell she wasn't a great fan of our music.

"I'm sorry sirs but I can only schedule you another flight for later this evening."

Naruto slammed his fists on the table and if it weren't for the fact I had a tight grip on his waist he probably would have lunged for her. "Fucking listen to me! We had to go through hours of traffic! Swing back to pick up shit we left back at home! Suffer through traffic again! And you are trying to tell me you can't do us one damn favor and get us an earlier flight!"

The line behind us grew eerily silent at Naruto's outburst. Itachi kept a bemused expression and I rubbed my temples. Naruto was fuming in my arms and I was half-expecting for security to appear and drag us out. But the woman behind the desk surprised me and shrugged her shoulders.

"Yes, that is exactly what I'm saying. Now can you please hurry up I have others I must check in."

"Now, now, let's not be hasty." Itachi had been wearing sunglasses the whole time for, apparently dramatic effect. When he pushed them up to his hairline the attendant exploded into a heap of red. "I-I-Itachi U-U-Uchiha! Sir! I apologize I did not know you would be honoring us with your presence today." stuffy and communist woman turned into a blubbering fangirl mess in less than three seconds and Itachi barely blinked.

He chuckled and waved his hand, leaning forward on the table and flashing his trademark, lady killer smile. "Don't apologize. I did try my best to stay concealed. I know we're causing so much trouble but don't worry about booking us a flight. I'll be seeing their travels are safe by letting them take my private jet. If you could get that ready for me..." he narrowed his eyes a little, an imploring tone in his voice.

I have never seen a woman in high heels run so fast in my life.

So a few minutes later—stuffy woman certainly knew how to get her act together quickly—we were boarding Itachi's private jet. As we climbed up the stairs I looked at my brother behind me who was gripping the railing, staring at his watch with a frown.

"Just because this is your plane doesn't mean you have to hitch along. Naruto and I aren't going to mess anything up." though we might raid his inboard fridge a few times.

Itachi glanced up at me, and for a minute I thought he was going to say something, but he shook his head and smirked instead. "I'm well aware of that but it's been so long since I've visited Japan. I thought I'd go along for the adventure."

"You thought wrong." I replied sarcastically. Not that I wouldn't love to have my brother around it was just that I had already went through at least three weeks with my infuriating brother. Him coming along would mean that I am responsible for accommodating him for as long as he plans to stay.

Naruto bounded out the plane with two shrimp poking out of his mouth. "What are you two standing around for? The seafood bar is amazing! And he even has a hot tub! Holy fuck I think I might just live on the plane for the rest of my life!"

+MAXED-OUT+

"_Darkness stains the path I kept walking for years. Tripping and falling onto my knees. How I kept walking, how I continued to go, was hearing the thumps. Thumping... thumping... I was dancing to your beat before I even knew who you were..." _I dropped my pencil onto my notebook and sighed, running my fingers through my bangs. I had already worked, reworked, destroyed, worked again, and scrapped the first couple of verses. The song itself was more or less completed, just that with my perfectionism and urge to impress Naruto with my song, I've been working like a drill sergeant to make sure this song is absolutely complete. Meaning that I had to love every single verse and melody.

Beside me Naruto was promptly knocked out from partying it up in the hot tub and feasting on the abundance of shrimp before us. He looked so peaceful and serene, a smile crossed my lips before I even realized it. I leaned forward and pressed a kiss on his forehead, my hand coming up to his chest where I felt his heartbeat pound against my palm.

_Thump... Thump... Thump._

"_I realized I lived for your beat. I lived for the faint sound of a still, continuing promise. It seemed I fell quite astray, and some days your beats were so quiet... I thought for sure I was lost." _my eyes were locked on Naruto as I delivered the next verse. _"But then all you had to do was smile for me, and the darkness no longer held me down."_

"Rather touching, Otouto." Itachi peered down from behind my seat, a cocky grin on his face.

I shrugged and closed up my notebook. Nope. Itachi didn't need to see what I was writing. I leaned back and gave him a scowl. "Your inept use of sarcasm isn't needed, Aniki."

Itachi pouted and flicked me on the forehead. "I assure you I was being 99.9% sincere."

"And the other .1 percent?"

"Sarcasm," he smirked.

I poked him in-between the eyes. "What would you know about songwriting?"

"Nothing, obviously. Business and negotiations are more up my ally. But I do know Naruto fairly well after spending almost a month with him. Don't try to so hard with fancy words and pretty imagery. Just be truthful and he'll love it."

I let his words soak in for a while. Was I not being truthful in the first place? Sure I was stressing over the symbolism and importance and whether or not I could get my point across in the best way but maybe I'm tackling it wrong?

"Mmm... Sasuke..." Naruto shifted in his seat, nuzzling his nose into my shoulder. "Sasuke... you bastard... cuddle wiff me..."

Itachi chuckled as a blush came on my face. Perhaps... perhaps I was trying to hard. I wrapped my arms around his waist and buried my face into his hair. "Okay, Dobe. Here I am. See?" he mewled in content and snuggled into my arms. Itachi smirked and left us alone, his job obviously completed. When I get home I'll rework my song, and this time it'll be 100% from the heart.

+MAXED-OUT+

"Mom we're home!" Naruto blared as we all went through the door.

"Mom?" Itachi cocked an eyebrow towards my direction.

I shrugged. "You'll see."

Iruka walked out with his customary blue apron and flour coating his cheeks. He nearly dropped the tray of cookies he was holding when he saw us. "Sasuke! Naruto! I'm so glad you guys are home! You should have called me I would have picked you up, though." He set down the tray of cookies on a nearby counter so he could grab us into hugs which Naruto returned and I just stood there and accepted it.

"Sorry, Mom! Our phones died and Itachi offered to drive us home anyways!" Naruto explained, eying up the tray of cookies like a vulture.

"Itachi did, huh?" Iruka glanced over at my brother who was currently chilling out in the doorway. He gave Itachi an obvious once over before nodding. "Well that was very nice of him, right? Nice to meet you, Itachi." Iruka held out his hand with a smile on his face. Apparently he had already won approval. "My name's Iruka. I'm Sasuke's and Naruto's guardian while they stay under Charisma. You're Sasuke's older brother, wow the likeness is uncanny."

Oh I could just hear Itachi's ego getting ready for the conversation. Linking fingers with Naruto, I decided I had enough time in my brother's presence. "Come on, Dobe. Let's unpack our stuff and any messages Jiraiya might have left for us." when I turned around Naruto had three cookies stuffed in his mouth.

"Mmay!" he flashed me a thumbs up and I sighed. Why was my boyfriend such a child?

Took us about an hour or two to unload all our stuff and another hour to get Naruto to properly organize his clothing. Once everything was done we both collapsed on beanbags centered in the middle of our room.

Naruto leaned back and toyed with his finally charged phone. "Oh God I missed so many texts and calls! Five are from Pein asking when I'll come down to visit him and the rest are random updates from Kiba and Gaara. Fuuuuuuck." he slid his phone shut it chucked it. "I could seriously fall asleep right now. What about you Sasuke?" when I didn't respond Naruto shifted to his side and shot me a worried look. "Sasuke...?"

The words hitting me couldn't be real. The number at the top of the screen should have been blocked repeatedly until the phone servers had to delete her number and make a new one. But there she was... staring me right in the face.

**Sent July 7th at 10:30 PM**

_Hey there, Tiger~ Heard you're doing pretty well in the music industry. Why not hit me up sometime? I think we need a lot of things settled out between us. _

_Lots of love, Mira. _

Mira... Mira... Mira

Why, of all times, did her name have to come up? Pinching the bridge of my nose, I could feel Naruto's worry gaze studying me, waiting for a response. I quickly deleted the message and shot Naruto a cheeky grin. Leaning over, I pressed a kiss on his lips and said, "You know we haven't had sex in our room before."

Naruto spluttered, a rapid blush scarring his cheeks. "F-Fuck, Uchiha! Is that really what was on your mind?"

"I would be lying if I said no." I smirked, crawling over Naruto's body so I was straddling his hips. Mira is the farthest from my mind. She's so far out the memories of wasted times spent together can't even process through my brain. So what if she texted me out of the bloom saying we needed to settle things between us? Does she expect me to be the better person? Ha. Nope. Not going to happen. Looking down at Naruto, with his t-shirt pulled up so his beautiful stomach was exposed, and there was a brilliant blush on his face, I leaned down and kissed him on both cheeks. My teeth gently nipped on his bottom lip and his arms came to fall on my shoulders.

"I spoil you too much..." he started to moan while my mouth got to work on his neck.

Chuckling, my hands were sneakily running up and down his sides. Naruto's back arched into my fingers and I moaned into his neck. "Just a little bit. Not like I don't deserve it."

Naruto scoffed and wound his leg around my hip. "Right. Right. Enough yapping and get to work, punk." he grinned devilishly and slapped me on the rear.

Oh he was so going to get it now.

+MAXED-OUT+

Sighing, I leaned against a large column with mirrors on all sides as Naruto ran around the men's section looking for more pants. "Oh man I really want a pair of overalls! Why don't they have a pair of overalls?"

"I don't know, Naruto. Why don't you ask the assistant for help?" really they were there for a reason. Naruto stopped his mad chase for the elusive overalls to shoot me a look. "Do you _see _any of them around the area? You know what. Screw it. I'll find them myself! Don't you dare move a muscle, okay?" before I could even respond he was out of my vision and running down the hall.

I sighed once again and banged my head against the column. I should seriously get a medal for dealing with Naruto and his obsessive, hyperactive personality that comes out when he shops. Literally he complains about Sakura and Ino taking forever in one store where he can take forever and two days to finish up _one _section of a department store. I waited for about ten minutes before I decided I should search for him before he did something stupid like blow up a mannequin or spill over perfume bottles... like the last time.

Hands jammed in my pocket I started my walk when my phone vibrated. _One new message. _As dramatic as it sounds my fingers started to shake slightly and my heart skipped a beat. I had a feeling I knew who contacted me. I should... I should put the phone away. Yes. Yes Sasuke put the phone away.

But I didn't.

_Tiger! Out on the prowl, huh? Look to your left._

To my...

I looked to the left.

I freaking looked to the left.

And there she was, a little bit taller, a few more curves, her bright red hair pulled up into a side ponytail. Mira was there. She was there. Here. There. Whatever. My eyes widened behind my glasses as she waved and hurried over me.

Is it too late to make a breakaway from the one and only person who has ever broken my heart?


	37. Staring At Miras

**Warning: A little bit of angst and a tad bit of fluff 8D.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own a damn thing~**

Guys, I'm really sorry updates are so short and far in-between! (I think that's how it goes). But I've been busy with school and preoccupied with a lot of things so I'll be trying to update this story at least once every two weeks if I can. Also you might not be seeing any new stories from me for a while until school work lessens or the holidays. I hope you all had a wonderful summer and enjoy chapter 37 c:

And oh yes the anonymous who sent me this:

"Anonymous 8/27/12 . chapter 36

What the fuck! Ur such a fucking dick! I mean c'mon! I like Naruto getting in trouble! Not Uchiha! Just so you know, I'm not gonna alert this story! I hate it... Worst story ever! Go die in hell, mothafucker! :(("

Allow me to just direct you the the Naruto Manga where I'm pretty sure, if I'm not mistaken, Sasuke has gotten into MORE than just trouble. So. You know. If you want to not alert me and say idiotic things for an idiotic reason such as your favorite character "Getting in trouble" then, by all means, go ahead. I'll sit back and laugh like I have been since I've read this. Have a lovely day~

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><p><strong>Chapter Thirty-Seven: Staring at Miras<strong>

Soooo... the car ride home was rather... awkward.

Wait, no. Awkward isn't the proper word to describe the tension floating around between us. It was more of a frustration more than anything else. Sasuke didn't say anything or try to touch me—since he's always freaking trying to touch me all the time I was a little freaked out.

I'm going to put all my money on the table that he's acting so distance because of who he was talking to.

You see, when I came back with my brand new pair of overalls waiting to be worn and showed off to the world, I spotted Sasuke talking to someone I surely didn't know. At first I had to do a double take because Sasuke never talked to people. Well, I've never seen him go up to strangers and engage in conversation unless it was promotional or at a concert. The fact that my Sasuke was talking to someone else who happened to have boobs...

This scared me a little.

I wasn't even jealous before you guys try to worm that in. My trust in Sasuke could take down all the ripped body builders in the world, but I was really confused on what Sasuke had to discuss with the curvy... big boobed... shemale, beast, whatever.

Her boobs had to be plastic... or an optical illusion. Shebeasts were scary like that.

Nope. Totally not jealous.

Anyways, after shebeast walked away I made it my time to enter stage right.

"Hey there, love!" I pecked him on the cheek and slipped my hand in his but he didn't respond until a full, ten minutes later.

Sasuke blinked, staring at me as if he finally noticed I was standing by his side. "Oh... hey. I'm guessing you bought your overalls?"

What? No kiss back? I puffed out my cheeks but nodded my head anyways. "Yeaaaah. They make my ass look nice. I sent a picture to Pein and he also agreed."

"Hn."

Okay... now I know for a fact something was wrong. Sasuke is the most possessive lover I have ever met—okay, not as bad as Vincent but still. Normally if I even brought up that someone happened to glance my way he'd get all scary, attack dog on them and glare them down till they left. Gaara, Kiba, and Pein, were wonderful witnesses to such behavior.

So the fact that he wasn't even phased by the fact that Pein saw my ass—and the text he sent me back was as lewd as lewd could be—seriously has me freaked...

Back to the car ride, though. We were about halfway home when Sasuke finally pulled me into his lap, arms wrapped around my middle tightly, and his face buried into my neck. He didn't say anything. His heart did all the talking.

Gosh... he was such a little kid sometimes. Always being stubborn when they have a problem. Or maybe that's just an Uchiha thing. Leaning my head back, I started to play with his fingers. "I know something's bugging you, Uchiha. If you don't spill I won't bake you my super special awesome brownies you love so much." the brownies I make come from the box but, dammit, I make the best fucking box brownies ever!

That actually got a snicker out of Sasuke. Such a huge achievement since he barely even muttered a word for the past two hours (not including the car ride). "Nothing's wrong, Dobe. Is it so weird that I'm quiet?"

"Hell yes it is, you flaming pervert."

"The flaming pervert wasn't necessary, Naru."

"Yes it was. Because Flaming Pervert should have his hands all over me and you're being docile! You expect me to sit here and take this without cocking my eyebrow?" I scoffed. "Please, give me a little more credit, love."

"So I'm back to love now?"

"Don't fucking change the subject!"

A heavy sigh left Sasuke's mouth, his chest shuddering ever so slightly against my back. "Will you believe me this once when I say everything's okay? Sometimes a little peace and quiet doesn't mean the world is about to end." he kissed the back of my neck and let out another sigh. I could feel the corner of his lips stretching out into a worn out smile.

As if smiling was becoming a tiring hassle in itself.

I wasn't the type of person to let an issue that was gnawing on my butt lie down, but Sasuke was already putting up walls. Walls that would take a long time to crack. So I'll let it drop... for now. It doesn't mean I won't pick it back up when we're home and alone together but I'll definitely give Sasuke his space to think for now. Curling up into his arms, I nuzzled into his neck and he kissed me on the top of the head.

For now we were simply comfortable relaxing into one another, feeding off each other's warmth. There was a digging feeling in the pit of my stomach I couldn't ignore even as we climbed into the elevator for the Penthouse. A sort of feeling that told me our troubles were long from over...

+MAXED-OUT+

"Come on, Uzumaki! Push it for ten more minutes!"

"F... Fuck... y-you! Y...You said... that... t-the... last time... Inuzuka!"

"Yeah, well, you can add ten minutes more!" Kiba barked into my ear, squirting water onto my face like that was going to change things. The only success it gained was getting me even more pissed than I already was.

Good old Wednesday morning training in the gym, you just gotta fucking love it. Jiraiya had told me that it was my turn to work out while Sasuke did odd jobs and appearances for the day. Of course I begged him to take me with them but Jiraiya was adamant I get some work done. Pssssh, he acts like I've gotten fat or something! Just because I pigged out a lot doesn't mean I won't work it off... eventually... Anyways, being the white-haired prick he is, Jiraiya assigned Kiba as my personal trainer.

I honestly really believe he did that to spite me.

For three, freaking, hours, I've had Kiba send me through Spartan drills that I don't even think were logical! Like, run at the wall, do a kick flip, and then repeat that five more times with a medicine ball in my hands? He had to have made them up half-drunk that's not even possible! And then he made me do embarassing things like burpees and 'I'm a star' jumps. Good Lord, everyone in the Towers must think I'm some freak...

Or, well, more of a freak. Whatever.

Finally Kiba decided to act like a decent, normal human being and made me go one hour on the treadmill. An hour isn't so bad, only when I was a few minutes from being finished he'd be like "YOU CAN DO MORE, PUNK!" and "DON'T FUCKING QUIT ON ME TILL I BLOW THE WHISTLE!"

"GET THAT DAMN WATER BOTTLE OUT OF MY FACE, KIBA!"

"NOT UNTIL YOU FINISH THIS LAP, UZUMAKI! COME ON, I WANT YOU GAGGING WHEN WE'RE DONE!"

The timer couldn't have gone off faster. By the time I had done my lap I slapped the STOP button on the control panel and decreased my dead on sprint to a jog to a walk. Kiba had a stupid looking smirk slapped on his stupid looking face that I really wanted to punch. He patted me on the shoulder and threw me a towel.

"Good work, Uzumaki! Now go hit the showers you smell like roadkill."

Ohhhh, Kiba was having too much fun with this. My revenge towards him shall be even worse than I orginally planned. Wiping off the sweat caked on my forehead and faced, my chest was rising and falling rather heavily, I shot Kiba a weak glare. "For the love of God can you not use me as a test dummy for your latest acting gig? I may be your best friend but gimmie a break!"

"Come on, man! I freaking nailed acting like a drill sergeant coach! That acting gig is so mine!"

"Yeah, yeah, that's freaking great and all but next time go Nazi on someone who _won't _actually punch you in the gut."

"What do you—Ow! Fuck! You actually punched me!"

Well, duh. Snickering—bitches think I joke. Naru never jokes—I walked over to my sports bag for my water. Lord knows I'm going to be hella sore tomorrow after such a workout. My water bottle was slowly being depleted as I scrolled through my phone and got... nothing. No texts from Sasuke updating me on humorous comments about the people at work or calls from him with cute messages like _I miss you _and _If I don't see your ass in the next two minutes I'll flip tables. _Little childish or sweet things that made my heart flutter—I got none of that. Just an empty message box laughing at me.

Kiba came up and rested his chin on my shoulder. I flicked him in the nose because, dude, first of all my shoulder is mad sweaty and secondly my bad mood is deteriorating to an ever worse mood than before. "Yo, man. Aren't you gonna hop in the shower? I wasn't acting when I said you stank."

"Mhm..." Kiba must have picked up on the dejection in my tone—not like I was doing anything to hide it—and poked me on the cheek.

"Oi. What's got you so down in the dumps, eh? I told you I was just joking!"

"It's not you, idiot. It's..." I sighed, leaning against the wall that was a mirror from floor to ceiling. "Lately Sasuke's been acting pretty... distant. He'll still hug me and stuff but when it comes to opening up he just shuts me out. I think it has something to do with this girl he bumped into at the mall earlier this week..."

"Girl?" Kiba joined me by the mirror and crossed his arms. "Did you get a good look at her?"

"Ummm, not really. All I was really able to pick out was that she had really long red hair and gigantic boobs."

"Mira." What? I shot Kiba a look and he elaborated. "That's Mira Heartfield, an American supermodel turned actress. She's of Japanese descent though and her mother is this huge fashion tycoon over here. You know of Regal clothing line, right?" Well obviously. I buy all my shoes from that clothing line! They literally have the greatest fashion sense in the world—no one else can compare.

"Yeah I know them... Wait. So Sasuke fucking knows the daughter of Regal clothing line? Are you shitting me!" Of course he knows! He freaking banged anyone with a nice pair of legs before we got together. I wouldn't be surprised if he hooked it up with the prime minister's daughter at least once. But he had a policy that I, sadly, knew by heart.

Sasuke never met up with the same person he fucked once. No calls, conversation, absolutely nothing. So for him to actually talk to Mira means she meant something... right? Wait... I remember Sasuke telling me his last relationship was rather serious before he became a man whore. Maybe... maybe Mira was the one who left him brokenhearted. Ugh. Just thinking about that being a possibility makes my stomach curl.

"Ne... Kiba. You're in the know about celebrity relationships. Was Mira ever involved with someone from Japan?"

"Ummm... the details are kind of fuzzy but I think she was. Yeah. Though both sides had families mad close with the media so they were able to keep who she was dating under wraps."

"Damn." Alright. Okay. So my leads are pretty much squashed at this end but what do I have to worry about? Sasuke's mine. He loves me. I love him. And Mira can put her boobs all up in his face for all care but I know Sasuke won't waver. What we have is real and I'm acting stupid for worrying over something that's not even my business. Sasuke probably got caught up with work so that's why he didn't text me. Yeah... that's why. So I should just calm down, take a shower, and blow some steam off with my friends.

After a good fifteen minute shower—half the time Kiba tried to smack me in the butt with a towel—Kiba and I were both decked out in a pair of sweats and t-shirts wondering what we should do next.

"We could head over to Cosmos?" Kiba offered.

I grinned. "Sounds like a plan, dude! I bet Pein will love to see my beautiful face after months of separation."

+MAXED-OUT+

Of course, Pein's an asshole so the minute I slid onto the bar stool he almost ushered a security guard to take me out.

"Wow, Pein! I';m sensing the love, man! Some best friend you are!"

"Don't use that tone with me. You're the one who hasn't visited in a while. It's a miracle I even recognized you before Bruce got serious." Bruce was the big, scary, bouncer from America Pein hired recently. Apparently the dude took his job like he was guarding Fort Knox but had a wonderful sense of dry humor to back it up. I'd have a lot of fun teasing him, that's for sure~

I rolled my eyes and accepted the nonalcoholic drink Pein made especially for me. "Extremely lucky~ But how have you been, man? It seems like years since I've been here last! Business looks like it's booming."

"Yeah. A local club critic stopped by a month or so ago and did a review on Cosmos. He gave my club five out of five stars in both Japan, America, and European's news outlets. Gotta say his good word for me has been the reason why they're so many new faces."

Pein was right. As I scanned the crowd it became harder and harder for me to spot out familiar faces. Cosmos was usually packed with locals but it seemed like all walks of life had managed to worm their way in. In the mix of hazy blues and purples I was able to spot out a vibrant bout of red hair... Familiar red hair. Long, red, _female _hair. I spun around in my stool and my jaw dropped. I know I didn't get a good look at her but I swear on all the cookies I've eaten that Mira was sitting just a few feet away in a corner booth sipping an Electric Shock—I could tell because Pein's special drink was bright pink and stood out really well in the lighting.

Pein leaned forward, a mocking smirk on his face. "Checking out the scene, Naruto? Shouldn't let your eyes wander too far or your Uchiha will get jealous."

"Shhhhhh." I put my hands to his face and pushed him away, trying to get a better look at just who Mira was talking to. "I'm stalking."

Two seconds later someone slid into the booth across from her. It was really hard to tell who it was from the side because people were going and coming as they mingled in and out of the crowd. When a break period finally came I noticed the unusual spike in the boy's hair that defied all sense of gravity.

Fuck.

I'm dating someone who's hair defied all sense of gravity.

By the time I realized that Mira was chatting it up with Sasuke, both casually sipping on drinks and laughing—good God, Sasuke, why are you laughing—I had already fallen out of my stool and onto the floor.

Kiba, who just came back from a dance session, kicked me in the side like the best friend I loved and sighed. "Dude. You're in public. At least act somewhat normal while we're out, yeah?"

"I didn't put anything alcoholic in your drink so I don't know why you're acting stupid, Naruto." Pein casually butted in. "Saw something you shouldn't have seen?"

All I could do was nod really as I slowly got up from the ground, eyes trailed on the fiery redhead and my boyfriend casually chatting it up. I sat down on the bar stool and pulled out my phone, staring at the empty message box in the glow of the night club. With a sigh, I rested my head in my arms and allowed Pein and Kiba to poke me repeatedly with my words if I was really alright.

No... No I wasn't alright at all.

+MAXED-OUT+

That evening at dinner was uncharacteristically quiet. I chose to sit next to Iruka—a blaring indicator that I was mad at Sasuke and or something was wrong—and Sasuke kept to himself most of the time. Iruka looked back and forth between us, obviously wanting to say something but deciding against it.

Dinner went on in an awkward fashion until I excused myself and bolted up to our room. I was being childish, I know. Instead of running from the problem that might not even _be _a problem, I should be confronting Sasuke on my suspicions and get the truth. But... I'm so scared. I'm so scared because Mira _meant _something to Sasuke—which is saying a hell of a lot about their relationship. Sasuke had unabashedly told me he loved her—or at least thought he did—and that she left a terrible scar on him. Her absence pushed him so far to whoring himself out on whoever gave him a second glance. Doesn't that give me a little incentive to be worried that they've found each other again? I mean, Sasuke's a pretty callous guy. He wouldn't go back to her even if she begged and pleaded and cried. He's human, though. And humans will always carrying lingering attachments to the people and objects who've left an impact in their lives...

The soft click of the door opening hit my ears but I stayed buried under my comforters. A body pressed itself onto the bed and suddenly arms were wrapped around my covered sides.

"Dobe. What are you worrying about now?" Sasuke's voice sent shivers down my spine as he leaned in to whisper in my ears.

I'm worrying about everything. "Nothing. My stomach just hurts. That's all."

"Hurts enough that you didn't want to sit with me?" Sasuke was obviously ticked by this but he was doing a damn good job of keeping it out of his voice. "I'll make you some tea if it's bothering you so badly."

Don't be nice to me. Please don't. Please... By now my stomach actually _was _staring to hurt a little, twisting in uncomfortable knots. I shuffled in my bed a little and turned so one blue eye was peeking out. "How was your day?" I'm so good at changing the subject.

My boyfriend shrugged his shoulders. "It was alright. Work was same old same old, though I did win a lot of prizes from the variety show today. One host even went as far as awarding me a maid's costume. He said I'd be able to put it to good use."

For the love of God don't chuckle sexily in my ear. You know I melt when you do that! Grunting, I continued to squirm under the covers, not really satisfied with his answer. "You didn't text me, though. I thought you got kidnapped or shot or something..."

"Tch. Obviously I'm alright or else I wouldn't be here." Sasuke finally managed to slip his way under the bed sheets, wrapping his arms around my waist. He buried his face into the crook of my neck and sighed. "You're worrying about stupid things again, aren't you? Speak out, Dobe. It's not like you to keep your thoughts to yourself."

"It's nothing... seriously. I'm fine. Just... Sasuke, you love me, right?"

"Asking retarded questions now?"

"I'm serious! Do you love me?"

"I thought it was obvious?"

"Just say it!"

"Yes. I love you. Why do you ask?"

"And you won't leave me?"

"Naruto—!"

"Answer me!"

"Yes I won't leave you!"

I turned around in his arms and threw my arms around his shoulders, pressing our foreheads together. He loved me. He won't leave. So I need to stop acting ridiculous and enjoy the fact that he's by my side and not with that Mira shebeast... I gave him a stupid grin and pecked him on the mouth. "Sorry. I just like hearing your romantic side every once in a while."

Sasuke sighed and lightly tapped his forehead with mine. "You're such a hassle, I swear. Now then... can I see you in that maid's dress?"

"Ha! Not in your life!"

So the rest of the night was spent with us talking, laughing, kissing, and eventually we went into naughty things but I'll let your mind wander on that. When I woke up the next morning Sasuke was plastered to my side where he should be. I snuggled into his warmth, about to drop back asleep, when his phone vibrated. Now, normally I would never go through his phone. I'm not that obsessive. But something was compelling me to do otherwise... So. I leaned over and reached for his phone.

_ONE NEW MESSAGE_

_Mira: Hey there, Tiger! _

_Yesterday was a blast._

_I'm really glad you heard me out._

_Let's go for drinks against next time. My treat xoxoxox! * heart * _

I stared at the message long and hard before I pressed delete and placed the phone back on the desk.

No Mira, Sasuke will not fucking go out for drinks with you again. Because Sasuke is _mine _and I'm not about to let anyone else have him.


	38. Lying Photographs

THIS IS REALLY SHORT AND CRAPPY AND I APOLOGIZE ALKSJDFLASJF URGH. But I see this story coming to an end in 3 or 4 more chapters so we'll see. I'm also really sorry this is late. Soccer and school have come up and I've literally had no time to get much of anything done so I'm sorry ; - ;. Hopefully my next update won't be so long inbetween.

Also I'll be changing my name into **Infinite Vibrance **after today c: Just for a change of pace~ You can still call me Fallen though ^^

**Warning: Short and angsty. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything but my socks. **

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><p><strong>Chapter Thirty-Eight: Lying Photographs <strong>

You know guys, sometimes I think I was born to be an actor. I mean, with the way I'm pretending that Sasuke sneaking off to meet Mira every Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday evening isn't bothering me in the slightest deserves all the Grammies! Hell, might as well throw in the Hollywood sign while you're at it, my acting's _that _phenomenal. Though I'll admit Sasuke's cutting it close. Acting like he isn't seeing her behind my back while keeping up happy, loving, pretenses deserves all the awards!

Just so I can burn them along with his lying, stupid, carcass!

Now guys, before you get on my case that Sasuke loves me and wouldn't leave me yadda yadda, all that romanticized bullshit can I just say I _am fully aware of how Sasuke feels about me. _I'm not happy, though, with how he isn't telling me upfront that he's seeing her. Honestly I could care less if they met up or not—no I lie I care so much just—because I know he's mine and whatever they had is long since thrown away into the Atlantic where not even ugly, deep sea creatures can get their gross fins on it. But no! I have to see through his read text messages while he's in the shower that they're communicating!

_Tonight was really fun. Though we got cut short by 'you know who' **insert cheesy ass attempt at being cute **Can't wait for our next night out!_

Seriously? _Seriously? _This woman is all types of annoying and I don't see how Sasuke hasn't given her the fucking boot to her plastic sized ass by now!

No guys... I am not jealous.

Nope. Not at all.

Sasuke's arms came to wrap around my shoulders, his wet and naked chest making marks on the back of my shirt. "Someone looks upset."

No shit, Sherlock. My boyfriend's a lying son of a bitch why wouldn't I be upset? I look up at him and smile anyways. "Naaaaaah. I'm just frustrated because Masamune obviously loves playing basketball but he won't tell his dick of a father his passion for the sport and follows his dad's rules instead and it's really frustrating!"

"Naruto, this is Dancing with the Stars."

Well... fuck.

"They're doing an interpretive dance and that's their story!" Waiting for my awards for being the best liar of 2012. Sasuke doesn't look convinced so I stare him down and he stares back. We have a glaring contest for a good two minutes before he finally sighs and flicks me on the forehead. Okay. Not called for! "Ouch!" I scowled and rubbed my abused forehead. "Any reason why you're abusing your boyfriend?"

"I don't know. Maybe because my boyfriend thinks he can shoot of a crappy lie and I'll believe him. I wasn't born yesterday, Uzumaki. So tell me what's bothering you, yeah?"

Fucking can't let things lie, huh? Sighing, it was becoming pretty damn apparent that Sasuke was never going to let this go until I proved to him things were fine. So I put on my greatest fake smile, nuzzled his nose, and asked him point blank.

Because seriously, if I didn't get an answer _now _I'd never be freaking satisfied.

"You've been going out a lot these past few days. And you don't even invite me along! I guess you could say I'm feeling pretty lonely..." I pouted and stroked Sasuke's cheek, watching for a flicker, glimmer, spark—whatever-that would signal me that something was a amiss. Nothing. So my final line would be the delivering blow... "Maybe... you could bring me along sometime?"

There it was—that spark. Hesitance. My stomach curled and my heart constricted. A terrible weight crashed on my shoulders and it took all of my willpower not to let a tear roll down my face. The flicker disappeared and my worry only doubled. Sasuke gave me a weak little smile that equated to nothing in my mind and pulled me into his arms.

"Really, Naru, you act like such a cat. Has my absence really made you worry this much...?" He started to shake and I only stood there. I'm not to sure... what I want to do. How I want to reply. I want to scream in his face and confront everything but at the same time I want to stay ignorant. I don't want to entertain the idea that Sasuke is seeing someone else—someone so powerful they left a mark in his heart long before I arrived—behind my back. I don't... I don't want to face a reality where Sasuke could be stolen from me.

Weak... I know. I'm so weak and paranoid to think Sasuke would leave my side after all we've been through. But wouldn't you be scared to if such a terrible adversary appeared before you with enough means that they could break bonds between you and your beloved?

I can't be the only one here.

Sasuke's fingers were holding onto the back of my shirt. His chin touched my shoulder. His breathing scraped my collar bone. "Trust me... though it may seem hard. Believe me. This separation is killing me too but in the end it'll be worth it so please." Sasuke lifted his head up to cup my cheek. More than just a flicker, a huge whirlwind of emotions were flooding his eyes that I nearly buckled under the stare.

He was desperate.

So I hugged him back. Told him I'd believe in him. That I'd wait.

It was unspoken between us but we understood; Sasuke saw my concerns and doubts, read me like a book even though I tried my best to mask it all. Tch. Really, when had I ever been able to mask my emotions from him? Right now I'm not too sure if this means everything _will _be okay. Or if our relationship was heading for a drastic turn where the destination was the edge of a really steep cliff. The uneasiness in my heart didn't settle even as Sasuke's lips touched mine.

I feel so terrible with this lingering doubts in my heart...

+MAXED-OUT+

Sasuke was out; again. I holed myself on the couch with a tub of ice cream watching Rush Hour 2. Rush Hour 3 was next and then I was going to call over Gaara, Kiba, and Pein to create a Rush Hour 4. Iruka was beside me giggling at something on his laptop. I was too lazy to bother looking over. All of a sudden my phone rang. Soft cello music played through my ears. Oh, so it was Pein hitting me up. I picked up the phone and answered.

"Yo, Pein. What's up? You normally don't call this late."

"_What are you doing right now?"_

"Um... watching Rush Hour. Why?"

"_Turn it off and check out Tokyo Beats right now."_

"Why—"

"_Just do it, Uzumaki!"_

"Okay! Okay! Jeesh! Hold on!" I paused the movie and switched to Cable, flipping through channels until I reached Tokyo Beats. The anchors were babbling on and on about a new power couple hitting the scenes and they seemed to spew up every word out of their mouth with dynamites chock filled with rainbows and... excitement. Yeah. That didn't make sense to me either.

"It's amazing how some of these relationships bubble about! You know my sources have told me they've been into each other for five years now."

"Other sources have spoken on how their rekindled fire is due to make some huge booms in Regal Enterprises and the infamous Uchiha Empire—two of the biggest international companies in Japan."

… What.

Pein was silent on the other line. Iruka had stopped typing and my mouth nearly dropped.

"But don't you think it's a little strange? Raven's dating Kit, right? It was all over the news."

"Raven's always been notorious for sleeping around. And apparently the relationship he has with Mira Heartfield was more... what's the word I'm looking for... _connected_?"

"True, true. But Kit must be devastated! Raven surely didn't give him the gentleman's goodbye with their split. I mean, look at these pictures."

The screen switched to photographs of Mira and Sasuke chatting, laughing, hanging out in Cosmos, walking out of a... a... hotel.

A fucking... hotel.

My grip on the remote tightened. Iruka was trying to calm me own but I couldn't hear a word. In the background I could faintly pick up Pein calling Sasuke an asshole and making threats. I should turn off the TV. Really. Media was bull crap and Sasuke... Sasuke wouldn't do this to me.

Turn it off Uzumaki.

Turn...

"Fans of MAXED-OUT are also stating their confusion over the new relationship between Raven and Mira. Some say that Raven is still with Kit and that his relationship with Mira is strictly professional. Others are relating their relationship to fanservice in order to boost sales. Both sides seem plausible but the pictures don't lie folks..."

"Looks like Raven's walking along the straight and narrow path now." Cue a really stupid giggle over a really fucking stupid joke. "Well then, folks. We'll be right back with more coverage on this breaking news right after our commercial break."

"Naruto...?" Iruka's hand touched my shoulder and I shrugged it off.

"_I thought you and the Uchiha had worked things out."_

"Yeah... so did I." the pictures were still mocking me on the screen even after the commercials aired. In my mind. Over and over again reminding me of the reality I refused to admit... He told me things would work out. I trusted him. I... I locked off my phone and headed up to my room. My heart felt heavy and my legs were lead going up the stairs. I stopped by our room door and hesitated. Going in there... Everything will remind me of Sasuke. And right now he's the last person I want to think about. So I pull out my phone and dial Gaara's number.

"Hey... can I stay with you for the night?"

+MAXED-OUT+

Ten missed calls. None of them answered.

Gaara was giving me glances every once in a while as I laid out my sleeping bag besides Gaara's bed.

"I keep telling you that if you're going to sulk not to do it on my floor."

"Shut up and let me brood." I curled up in my cocoon hoping that after three weeks I'd evolve into a T-Rex that could go on a rampage through the city. Sadly I doubt that will happen but maybe if I pretend hard enough...

Gaara scoffed and suddenly my bag was tugged. My body was slung awkwardly up against the bedside. "I told you not to sulk on my floor. Get up here, Naruto."

"I don't wanna—Ouch! Okay! Jeesh! I'm getting up!" Snuggled up to Gaara's side, or, well, I attempted to snuggle Gaara just sort of laid there like a brick, I closed my eyes and tried to wash away the crappy news of the day. Gaara was doing his best of keeping me distracted, asking me questions and keeping a conversation flowing. And it really helped because I could feel my eyes getting heavier and my breath thinning out.

Gaara's fingers found their way into my hair, stroking my head softly. "If I ask you if you'll be alright, are you going to lie to me?"

Yes. "I don't know."

My phone vibrated again. Seven times until it went to voicemail. Now that makes it eleven missed calls.

"Naruto... are you going to be alright?"

My phone's vibrating again. I buried my face into Gaara's chest and let out the heaviest sigh in the world.

"I... don't know, Gaara. I really don't know."

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><p>Next chapter we'll learn about why Sasuke is hanging out with Mira and the truth behind his actions~<p> 


	39. Stratified Souls

I am ridiculously sorry for this being so late! School and soccer bit me in the ass and keeping up with my work has also taken a whack at me ; - ;. I promise to get the next chapter out much, much sooner. And this one is pretty lengthy so I hope that makes up for my absence?

No?

It doesn't?

Shit ; - ;.

I do have a new stories in the works of being thought out, though. It involves the mafia and I'm pumped because the mafia excites me andl aksjdflasjf 8D. Okay. Anyways. Enjoy chapter 39!

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><p><strong>Chapter Thirty-Nine: Stratified Souls <strong>

How do you go about fixing something absolutely destroyed beyond any measure of repair? Sasuke ran his fingers through his hair for the tenth time that night. He stood by his... their... Naruto's... room door. Standing there for the past two hours wondering when to knock, if to knock, _should he knock? _Morality was beating him over the head that yes he should knock. He should walk in there. He should explain himself.

He should clear up every mistake he had purposefully laid out in the first place.

Regret stabbed at his heart. Fear and regret and an ice cream bowl of guilt. Sasuke gnawed on his bottom lip till blood touched his tongue. Why was he hesitating? Fix things with Naruto; that was his top priority, right? Naruto would forgive him... He'd listen, and understand, and forgive, and Sasuke would unleash almost a month's worth of anxieties and worries and complaints that he kept bottled up for so long... That was how the situation was supposed to play out.

Or, that was how Sasuke _wished _for things to play out, anyways.

With his forehead pressed to the door, Sasuke succumbed to the coward silently consuming his entire being. His fingers were curled in a loose fist, ready to knock on the door, and he put them down to his side. Another thick swallow past a bile of guilt. Another heavy sigh wracked with chains that weighed him down from the choices he had made.

The ones he made believing they were the right choices.

Sasuke took two steps back, followed by another two, followed by three, four, five, his eyes were glued to the door as he backed up towards the middle of the hallway. One more sigh. One more regret escaping in a billow of invisible smoke. Sasuke closed his eyes. Counted to ten. Then reopened them with startling submission.

Right behind that door, Naruto was breaking. In front of the door, Sasuke was attempting to keep himself from falling apart. One part was already failing; the other half couldn't go down with it if they wished to survive. He had to steel himself. Had to prepare him for the controversy he provoked.

"I promise you, my intentions were never to break your heart." they were simply the darkened consequences that glued onto the sides of his plan. A hand came to rest on his shoulder, making Sasuke jump. When he looked up he saw the boring eyes of Iruka staring down at him.

"I made two cups of hot chocolate," Iruka spoke quietly. "Mind joining me?"

It wasn't a question.

+MAXED-OUT+

"_Are you done sobbing yet?"_

"Wow, Pein. Remind me to never call you again when I'm going through an emotional breakdown."

"_The last time I attempted being considerate to your feelings you nearly bit my head off."_

"Not true! I was very appreciative of your comfort."

"_You threatened to rip off my arms and feed them to a rabid dog."_

"..." Naruto puffed out his cheeks in annoyance. "It could have been worse. I could have fed them to a Tasmanian devil or something..."

Pein snorted on the other end, muttering something under his breath pertaining to "idiot blonds with skewed up lines of logic". Naruto ignored every mutter, though, with a smile ghosting his face. Strange, huh? After hours of crying over the earth shattering news he still had the strength to smile. Maybe it was a reflex. Your body realizes how drained you are and decides you need an energy boost, causing you to smile at the random things to send endorphins throughout your system to pick up your spirit.

A lovely story, but in Naruto's cause he'd need a whole sea plus two planets filled with endorphins to even spark the urge to get up.

In the midst of his tears, and Pein's tough love, Naruto had come to two conclusions: Bawling your eyes out for three hours straight causes major headaches. And two, he was being a coward. When had he resulted to crying into a pillow rather than facing his problems head on? At that point Pein had brought up the blatantly obvious facts to the dinner table: Naruto was afraid of the truth.

"_If there's one thing I know for a fact you're terrified of is learning you're right."_

"W-What?" Naruto had hiccupped.

"_You hate it when your worst fears come true. Sure, your bravado act works 99.9% of the time but when you meet a roadblock, especially down the path of relationships, you start second-guessing everything. And when you think the worst possible outcome is going to happen, you back out." _That one-year of psychology classes were finally paying off. You could say Pein liked to study people. Learn how they ticked, functioned, react, and Naruto was his favorite subject. Of course, Naruto was also his precious friend so every conjecture he made was, he hoped, for Naruto's sake.

'_Am I that easy to figure out?' _Naruto turned to his side, the time blaring in his face.

11:32 PM.

"I should probably get up now... huh?" Naruto said more to himself than to Pein. Excessive amounts of crying really wore you out. Also, Naruto's stomach was growling and moaning and begging to be fed and he couldn't deny its wishes, right? "Yo, Pein?"

"_Yeah?"_

"Thanks a lot, man. I know I was nothing but a whiny, sobbing mess but seriously, talking to you has made me feel so much better."

"_Well duh." _Pein scoffed. _"That's why I'm here in the first place."_

"Mhm." Naruto hummed before he ended the call. A nice bowl of ramen after a long bout of crying would fill the emptiness in his stomach. Rolling of the bed, Naruto padded down the stairs for the fridge. When he reached the doorway of the kitchen he heard the familiar voices of Iruka and Sasuke discussing something important if the urgency in their voices were any indicator. Naruto froze and, despite his better judgment, he found himself leaning forward to catch their conversation.

"How come I've never heard about any of this?" Iruka asked, a little smidge of disbelief hanging off his words.

A sigh. "It's not something I'd bring up in everyday conversation."

"No. But it's a topic you'd bring up to your love ones; especially Naruto."

'_Me?' _Naruto pressed himself closer to the doorway. Did Sasuke need to tell him something? Well, besides the freaking obvious, at least. _'What hasn't he told me?'_

Silence stretched for three, terrible minutes, and Naruto nearly lost it until Iruka spoke up again. "So when do you get to visit her?"

"Next week, if all things go well."

"And by next week do you plan on coming clean?"

"Do I have a choice?"

Naruto's eyes locked with Iruka, causing him to choke on his breath. Iruka simply shrugged and brought his mug of hot chocolate up for another sip. "I don't know, Sasuke. You tell me. I'm not the one keeping secrets from his boyfriend."

+MAXED-OUT: The Next Day+

Sasuke gripped his hands on the steering wheel, battling back every urge inside of him screaming to commit murder. No. He couldn't stain his hands now. That would look terrible for his singing career-if he even had one left after this scandal died off. Why so hostile, though? How about you turn your head to the left where his ex-girlfriend was currently applying her make-up.

Mira cocked an eyebrow, dabbing the side of her ruby stained lips for any excess lipstick. "Rough morning?"

"Hn." Sasuke gritted out.

The redhead rolled her eyes and capped her lipstick shut. "I thought we worked on this. One syllable replies are for robots and uneducated heathens. You're much better than that, Tiger."

"Uncle's smuggled his way into your vocabulary, I see."

"It was bound to happen one day. He is my manager after all."

Confused? So was Sasuke when he found out that Madara Uchiha, his supposedly estranged uncle, was now the manager of his ex-girlfriend Mira Heartfield. Yes, an incredibly small world. Right now Sasuke was parked in the lower level-parking garage underneath the Uchiha's Japanese branch of their glorious enterprise-Harmonic. Every time Sasuke heard that name he couldn't help but scoff.

There was nothing 'harmonic' about his family.

Sighing, Sasuke slammed his forehead against the steering wheel for the umpteenth time this morning. "Get out." he sheathed, not even bothering to look at her. She brought back too many memories, new and old. Her mere presence picked at scars and made them bleed and caused a humongous headache to latch onto Sasuke's skull.

Mira let out a sigh of her own, this one out of mere agitation. She could sympathize with her ex on some extent. She wouldn't want to be trapped in a car with someone she had a mess break up with, let alone being forced to compromise in a way that was inconvenient for the both of them (but surely not for their conspirators). However, what she couldn't deal with was Sasuke's closed off attitude. He's angry about their situation? Well fine. So was she. But Mira wasn't going to settle whining and bitching about what she could fix with her own damn hands.

"You know, Tiger? You were much cuter back in the day." she blurted out, reaching for the unlock button to head out. "Less whiny, more cooperative, and chubbier."

"I was never chubby."

"Oh you were so chubby." once Mira was out of the car, she adjusted her blouse and straightened out her pencil skirt. Gotta look classy for the public, you know? She brought her sunglasses down to her nose and pointed. "Come along now, Chubuske. Your uncle wanted us to meet him at," she glanced at her watch, "10 and we're about to be late."

Late to a meeting with Madara? Oh dear, how could Sasuke ever do such a thing? The look in the raven's eyes was a warning sign that he was about to snap something sarcastic in response. Mira grabbed Sasuke by the arm and yanked him out.

"Oi-" Sasuke began but Mira's nose suddenly being inches away from his.

"Don't. Start. Tiger. Okay?" Mira held Sasuke by the collar for a few seconds before smiling, releasing her grip on her 'boyfriend's' neck. "Alrighty then. Now that we've gotten over our fight, let's hold hands and welcome the world with our smiling faces, ne~?"

Begrudgingly, Sasuke accepted her hand and they locked fingers, heading into the elevator that would take them to the main lobby. The ride up was silent. Mira was on her cellphone, texting her _real _love interest. Took quite a while to get him to come to terms with everything. Sasuke, on the other hand, was feeling the envy of not being able to _contact _his lover because of the sticky situation he had thrown himself in. He forced himself not to look at Mira's phone because then his jealousy would only be fueled even more.

"You're very obvious."

Dammit, he failed.

When they reached to the lobby Madara was already standing by the check-in desk. His traditional black blazer, black pants, black shoes, topped off with a blood red tie was what greeted the two. Madara turned after the secretary pointed out his nephew's arrival. Coffee in hand-he always drank straight up black-he greeted the two with a... smile? Eh. More of a crooked lip twitch.

"Ah, the star couple has finally graced us with their presence. What? No good morning kiss from the two of you?"

If Sasuke could categorize the members of his family that he hated the most from least to greatest, Madara would break the scale. Every little word that came from the man's mouth was a jab, a rib, a kick to Sasuke's nerves. Sasuke was ultimately convinced that every step Madara took was simply to make him crumple and fall to his ridiculous demands.

Such as dating Mira Heartfield, for example.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes towards his uncle, holding back a whole slew of damnations to throw at the man. "No thanks. Her lipstick is gaudy and I don't want it anywhere near me."

Mira rolled her eyes and flicked Sasuke on the face. "Rude." she turned to Madara. "And you, you're no better."

He cocked her eyebrow. "Mira, you've gotten quite talkative." he set his coffee mug down and glared down the two teenagers who considered to defy him in public-in his own branch! He was doing them a huge favor pulling this publicity stunt, and for the sake of the company, and yet here they were-mouthing him off. His pride was seriously wounded. "Remember your places, _children. _Or I'm not too sure what my anger will lead me to do. Now then, if you would both follow me to the conference room I have today's schedules to go through."

Madara turned on his heel and headed for the stairs, leaving too very frightened teens in his wake. The threat had claimed its plot of land without fail. The message was sent loud and clear. Sasuke squeezed Mira's hand on reflex and Mira gazed at him from the corner of his eyes, worrying her bottom lip.

"Remember why we started this?" Sasuke whispered, words shaking.

Mira could only nod.

"Remind me to keep that in mind before I do something stupid."

"Yeah... Promise to do the same?"

He looked at their conjoined hands, the lies it promoted, the truth it hid. He grunted. "I sort of have to, don't I?"

Mira followed his gaze and smiled disdainfully. "Yeah... I guess you do."

+MAXED-OUT+

After the meeting Mira had left to head for her mother's office, reporting that her relationship with Sasuke was cruising by smoothly. Lie. There wasn't even a relationship to begin with, but moving on from that. Madara had other business to attend to, leaving Sasuke alone to his thoughts in the conference room. An open manila folder of all his publicity appearances centered around his 'relationship' with Mira mocked the turmoil he was experiencing. Talk show for this, variety show for that, music program, another variety show, and the connecting webs to build an empire of lies and lies and-Sasuke slammed the manila folder shut.

He was getting a headache.

"Coffee..." Sasuke muttered, heading for the coffee machine. Four o'clock in the afternoon, by this time he would be home, with Naruto. Probably curled up in the couch watching some stupid movie they both enjoyed. _'To think that was only a few weeks ago.' _Oh how time could change and fly and pass you by, leaving you stranded in confusion. Just a few weeks ago Sasuke had come up with the idea of a Heart Song...

'_I still need to finish it.' _the nights where he was free from spending 'quality time' with Mira but was too guilty to face Naruto at home, Sasuke would find the nearest bookstore, coffee place, alleyway, convenience store, or simply crash on his car-immersing himself in the silence-and writing. He wrote, rewrote, scratched out, and threw out numerous lyrics that were created to portray his feelings for Naruto. Though it was hard to keep everything straight with the guilt wracking on his shoulders. There was an urge for him to write, to spill out all his conflicting feelings, and as a singer he was trained to take that urge and roll with it.

With his notebook open and his newest verses scarred on the paper, Sasuke went to work. He read over his original work, making sure he was satisfied before picking up a pencil and continuing.

_The faith you have in me is surely draining. _

_And the castles we've built by hand are surely crumbling. _

_Words lose their meaning, aged and weaken, cold and frigid._

_Don't you know this kills me too?_

_Don't you know your tears and sobs, they tear my heartstrings, they make me bleed?_

"And I would do everything in my power to change my mistakes, to make you understand that everything up until now... all the pain... I've done for you. So you can smile. So I can be by your side..." A single tear slid down Sasuke's cheek, landing on the corner of the frayed notebook paper worn away and fragile from numerous eraser marks. Everything. Every little step, the nights he left Naruto's side, the days he spent in this very conference office planning public appearances with Mira, the dates, _everything, _just for Naruto.

Sasuke slid his hands over his face, trying to fight back the tears spilling out from his eyes, but to no avail. He didn't sob, nor did he make any wails of distress, his shoulders shook uncontrollably, his hands over his mouth. Tears dropped one by one onto his seat, sinking into the lines, making wet dents into the sheet. Perhaps this was his body's way of reacting to the truth, of how painful things had become and how-if he tried hard enough-he could have found another way to prevent this.

Another way to protect Naruto that didn't require him to literally stab him in the back.

Mira leaned against the doorframe, watching the scene with an indescribable expression. She was never good with handling people and their 'emotions'. The only words she could conjure up were either spiteful or sarcastic. "Dammit, Tiger." she gnawed on her glossy red lips. "Who said you can give up on me yet?" releasing her lower lip, Mira straightened herself and made a beeline for the parking garage, dialing the number for her personal driver along the way.

She needed to fix things; now.

+MAXED-OUT+

"Naruto."

"Yeah, Mom?"

"Can you please get off of the couch and go somewhere else?"

Naruto groaned. So Iruka was finally evicting him from the Penthouse, huh? He let open one eye to peek at his mother, who had two hands on his hips and a no-nonsense look in his eyes. Fuck. Naruto seriously had to go now. With a sigh, Naruto rolled himself off the couch, landing gracefully (ha, that was a joke) onto the floor.

"Iruka can't I stay indoors! The outside world is a scary place!"

"No. You can't lounge around in misery all day. Your friends will worry about you."

"My friends are busy." Naruto replied off-handedly.

"I'm sure." Iruka rolled his eyes. Truly he sympathized with Naruto's problems but he couldn't agree with his methods of solving them. Iruka patted Naruto on the shoulder and handed him forty dollars. 'Here. I need some groceries and since I have housework to do, you're my designator shopper for the day. Run along, now. The store closes up by seven and I'll need all my ingredients to make dinner tonight! We're having pork chops~"

Naruto stared at the money, then back to Iruka, then to the money. He was very tempted to just take the money and run. The prospect of having pork chops for dinner, however, was too alluring to risk losing. With a hesitant nod, Naruto pocketed the money and asked for a shopping list. A few minutes later and he was heading down the streets of Tokyo, hands in his pockets and shades covering his face. Before he left the house he made sure to gel his hair down. Shades wouldn't do much good if a fan could easily spot his bright mass of yellow hair from afar.

Chills danced up his spine. Fall was coming, and with it came the foretelling chills of a cold winter. Naruto used to love the fall. Changing leaves meant winter was coming, and the trees around his apartment that turned the most gorgeous shades of orange and yellow. He remembered one night where the temperature was a bone-chilling 20 degrees but there was a huge pile of leaves Iruka had raked up earlier that morning he had to jump in. So he convinced-well, he _dragged_-Sasuke to come outside with him and play in the leaves.

Sasuke was completely indifferent, at first, then after awhile even the stoic raven slowly got into the fun of jumping in leaves and simply having a good time.

"Now that I think about it, I think that night was the first time I've ever seen Sasuke smile." From the beginning the duo has always been at fraying ends. Best friends for the world, sworn enemies indoors. Yet it amazed Naruto that from then, a few years ago to now he could-with a painful choke to his heart-say Sasuke was his lover.

Or was supposed to be his lover, anyways.

"I need to stop thinking. Thoughts will just drag me around in circles where all I do is mope." it was time to get his shit together and move on. First a little distance, that's what Pein, had told him to do. Put some distance between him and Sasuke to sort things out and clear his head so that when phase two: confronting Sasuke, commenced, he'd be completely level-headed. Of course, the chances of anything going smoothly when it involved the infamous MAXED-OUT were slim to zero.

He was only a few steps away from the door when a car honked at him. On instinct he turned around, shocked to see a sleek BMW roll up to the curb. The window rolled down and out popped a massive heap of red.

"You Naruto Uzumaki?" the girl asked.

Now, Naruto was trained since he entered middle school not to talk to strangers because strangers were dangerous and a small percentage of them could be the potential serial killer. But when does Naruto ever listen to standards and practices? Eyeing the girl suspiciously, Naruto put up a mask of indifference.

"Who wants to know?"

"Mira Heartfield. That's who. If you're Naruto Uzumaki I suggest you get in the car. We have a lot to talk about, you and me."

"And if I refuse."

"I'm a third degree black belt, Kit. Refusing is not one of your options today."

Couldn't really argue with that.

Naruto awkwardly shuffled to the far end of the car seat, farthest away from Mira. Who would have thought he'd meet his sworn enemy miles away from the battlefield? His mind was racing with numerous questions, one linking right after the other into a jumbled mess that really, didn't make any sense. Then there was the anger. Blinding and pumping and furiously coursing through Naruto's veins. The same woman who took his Sasuke had the nerve to come find him...? How in the world did she even manage to find him anyways?

Dear Lord, Sasuke was cheating on him with a professionally trained, third degree black belt, redheaded she-witch, stalker.

Mira, ever the perceptive one, could easily sense the hostility Naruto kept behind his smile. Hell, a child could probably sense Naruto's anger without even batting an eye, Naruto wasn't trying very hard to hide it. She dabbed the corners of her lips with her pinky finger. Maybe she should have thought out this kidnapping/explanation rendezvous a little more precisely. Granted, she only had enough brainpower churning and working on half a cup of Starbucks, so give her some credit for even finding the boy. Which, by the way, were purely luck-and the help of her connections.

Anyways, now what? She supposed that blurting out the truth would be the best approach right now but she had no idea how Naruto would-

"How'd you find me?"

Or we could do question and answer, that works too.

Mira cocked an eyebrow. "Connections." More like, she stole the Penthouse's contact number from Sasuke's phone, rung up Iruka looking for Naruto only to get Iruka instead, explained the issue, and found out Naruto's location. But it sounded much cooler to say 'Connections'.

Naruto clucked his tongue. Always the damn connections. "Okay. Next question."

"Oi, what makes you think I'll allow more than one?"

"Because you're currently committing a crime, and if I go to the police you'll be screwed. That plastic little butt of yours will meet the cold, hard bench of jail time, sister!"

"My butt is 100% real and you came into my BMW willingly. How does that sound for a plot twist?"

Naruto could only glare. Dammit, she was just as perceptive as Sasuke... only with more plastic. Huffing, he crossed his arms and slid into his seat. "Fine. So I won't be turning you into the cops."

"Lovely." Mira replied dryly.

"_But, _don't think I'll make things easy on you. Anything you have to say I couldn't give a damn about."

"Even if it's about Sasuke?"

_Pluck. _There goes a heartstring. '_Play the indifferent card, Uzumaki.' _ "Couldn't care less." he shrugged.

"He's your lover, though."

"Is he?" Naruto passed her a cutting glare, his hatred finally seething through. "That's not what the media says. I heard he was yours."

'_Shit...' _Mira pinched the bridge of her nose with her pointer finger and thumb. This was worse than she had originally thought. She expected, of course, for their to be some animosity. Stealing someone's lover-though she was against it from the start-doesn't normally go over well. She counted to three and opened her eyes again, noticing the tiny shudders that wracked through Naruto's body.

Dammit. He was about to cry.

"Hey," Mira reached out a hand to place it on Naruto's shoulder, but quickly retracted it. Comfort was never her strong point. "Looks like this misunderstanding got way out of hand."

"Mis...Misunderstanding?" What was there to misunderstand?

"Yup. Ti-I mean, Sasuke and I aren't dating. It's a lie, scam, publicity stunt, whatever you'd like to call it. Either way, he's all yours and I'm extremely okay with that."

When the truth hits you, how do you expect it to feel? Like a bucket of cold water splashing over your face? A ton of bricks falling onto your head? A train crashing into your body? Naruto felt all that, and more. If they were never dating, if everything was a publicity stunt to please the masses, then why... why did Sasuke even agree in the first place? A picture was presented but the story behind the colors, and the image itself, didn't match up. No connections, no click, no nothing.

Naruto eyed Mira wearily. His heart was hammering with a twisted, melodramatic sense of joy that Sasuke's relationship with her was false. However, his insecurity was tipping the balance, making him falter. "It's all a lie?"

"That's what I said. Nothing but a ruse. I'm currently seeing someone else and, well, Sasuke's obviously with you... so."

"Then why? If you're already dating someone, then why go through with this! Why didn't Sasuke think of me _at all_?!"

"Wow." Mira let out a hollow laugh and took out her compact. She opened it up and eyed her make-up. "For someone so 'in love' with Sasuke, you're pretty damn insecure. Do you honestly think Sasuke agreed to this _willingly_? You know, I was planning on letting you in on the secret but if you're going to act like a whiny baby who doesn't want to face reality then you can get out of my car. And I, I can keep pretending that I'm Sasuke's lover since I'm benefitting from my cooperation."

She leaned forward to Naruto's side and opened the door, letting the brisk breeze enter the car. Naruto sat there, rigid, before he closed the door with a soft thud.

"Tell me." he whispered.

Mira held back her urge to crack a grin. Ah, the beautiful sound of sweet, sweet, acceptance. She reclined in her seat, crossing her legs, wondering where to begin. "I had a funny feeling you'd see things my way, in the end."

+MAXED-OUT+

It seemed as if standing in front of doors without the power to move was becoming a habit for Sasuke. Three minutes had passed yet he hadn't knocked, hadn't barged, hadn't moved from the spot he was standing in now. God, when had he fallen into such holes of patheticness and shame? Where did his vigor go? His no care attitude? Oh. Right. That all flew out of the window when Madara came. Now he remembered. To turn back now, though, would be the last contradiction, the final straw, the last draw. Sasuke had managed to gather up small pieces of gumption, a silly piece of string he thought would be durable enough to carry him through the long haul. He had that string when he was at Naruto's door the night before. He carried that string when he first heard of Madara's terrible, terrible scheme of gaining power and joining forces with Regal Clothing line. A union between future heirs? What could be more perfect?

Rumors about a gay son, terrible stains to the Uchiha's reputation? Unthinkable when there's pictures circulating around the city of Sasuke going on dates with Mira.

The string turned out to be a failure, and Sasuke had no more lifelines. To go back now, would be to admit defeat. Turning back now would mean every word written in his notebook, the song he painstakingly wrote for Naruto, meant nothing.

Turning back would be accepting the warped reality he forced himself to believe.

Rolling back his shoulders, Sasuke prepared himself for what would be on the other side. Convincing Madara would be no simple task. Hell, Sasuke had calculated the outcomes and the odds were not in his favor.

He'd try, though. He'd pick up the sword and charge into battle rather than lock himself away in the castle, away from the massacre.

Sasuke would win this war.

"I'm coming in." he pushed open to the door, leading into Madara's private office. Blood red carpets, blood red walls, blood red bookcases... Yeah, Madara had a kink for the red thing. Positioned behind a huge, mahogany desk was Madara himself, signing papers with his signature cup of black coffee sitting on the corner. He peeked up from his work, only to regard Sasuke's presence, before looking back down.

"Something you need?"

Sasuke swallowed. Oh there was so much he needed, _wanted_, right now. "Yes, actually." he sat himself down on the armchair that was in front of Madara's desk. This was going to be one long talk and standing wasn't going to make things any smoother. "I want out."

The words flew through the air and landed with a heavy thud. Sasuke fought back the reflex to flinch. Did the temperature just drop thirty degrees? Madara stopped in the middle of his writing. He placed the pen down. Tapped his fingers. Picked up his mug. And finally, _finally, _he eyed Sasuke.

"I'm sorry. Could you say that again?"

"I... want out, Madara. No more. I can't take this anymore. I'm 'breaking it off' with Mira, and heading back to Naruto. Screw this company. Screw your fucking ideals on how I should present myself! Last time I checked you couldn't give a rat's ass about me until now, when I decided to date Naruto."

"Back then you actually knew how to handle yourself. But seeing my little nephew throw his reputation and his life away dating a _whore_," Madara shook his head in self-pity and wrapped his fingers around his mug, "I had to step in and take charge. Mira is a lovely woman, strong and independent. She'd be the perfect wife for you."

"What point of, 'I'm out', aren't you getting?" Sasuke hissed.

"Everything." Madara slammed his mug down and finally let his anger blaze through. "You, Sasuke, have no choice in this matter. Your father placed _your _career into _my _hands, as well as the livelihood of this company. I do not plan to fail nor do I plan on letting your father down. To think I'd accept such disgusting behavior as dating some guy and tarnishing the Uchiha's reputation slip through my fingers. Please, for the benefit of my sanity, apologize for what you've said and leave, promising not to act out."

"For the benefit..." Sasuke rasped, "of your sanity...?" _Snap, _went the nerve. Sasuke shot up, slamming his hands on the desk. He brought his face inches away from Madara and spat. "What about my sanity, you bastard? The emotional strain I've been put through because of your... your twisted sense of 'reputation'-bullshit! I couldn't care less about any of that! All I want is for things to be back to normal. All I want is to be with Naruto!"

Their eyes clashed, fury and simmering rage. Madara appeared cool and indifferent, but on the inside he was roaring. A child, speaking up against him? A child, voicing his own opinions? Oh, he had so much work to do with this one and so little time. Relaxing his face into the palm of his hand, he cocked one lazy eyebrow at the teen and smirked.

What a devilish, evil smirk it was.

"Adorable, Sasuke. Truly commendable of you. But let me remind you of one little thing." he got up from his chair with his hands pressed flat against the desk, leaning forward to whisper into Sasuke's ear. "Disobey me and Naruto's _gone. _The world will think of him as a passing fad and I, will be the person to happily erase his existence. So let us try this again, hm? What did you have to tell me?"

The raven gritted his teeth. What a freakishly low blow, though it was one to be expected from Madara, after all. Clenching his hands into fists, Sasuke turned on his heel and stormed for the door. Before he left, though, he turned around and flashed Madara the finger.

"I think you can read between the lines pretty damn well, right?" with that said, Sasuke made sure to slam the door very hard on his way out.


	40. Carving Plans

This chapter took longer to work out because of numerous writer's block and school being a major bitch D;. Ugh. I'm not very happy with some parts. I feel like it could have been better but I'm excited for next chapter. This story will be wrapped up pretty soon ; - ;.

AGAIN. I'M JUST REALLY SORRY FOR THE DELAY AND THE EXUBERANT BURST OF CAPS. I WANTED TO POST THIS SOONER. I TRULY DID.

**Warning: Sasuke's POV and not-so-explicit smut because I'm playing it safe c;**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Forty: Carving Plans<strong>

I felt so... so... invigorated.

Hands squeezing the comforting rubber cover of my steering wheel, I haven't moved from my parking spot in a good hour. Not because I was scared or troubled or worried like I was before. I'm just so excited that I have no idea what to do first. My mind's racing with ideas, thoughts, and plans, but with no straw to grasp on first all I can do is sit here and grin to myself like a maniac.

I hadn't won the battle yet against Madara, but at least I made a start. Now where to go from here? My heart and mind were in a standstill. The annoying pulse in my chest begged me to go find Naruto to tell him the good news but my mind surely castigated such an idea. Tell Naruto you finally grew a back bone after 2 solid months? Ha! Only a fool would go in there and risk heartbreak.

The thought swirled and swirled in my head, making it tougher for me to get out and do anything. Sitting here though wasn't about to solve everything, and to come up with what ifs only to tear them down with possible, terrible futures wasn't about to get me anywhere. Sighing, I told my brain to shut up and shifted into reverse.

I had a blond to find.

+MAXED-OUT+

When I got home there were three pairs of shoes lined up at the doorway. A pair of converse-Naruto's. A pair of loafers-Iruka's. And a pair of blood red high heels...

"Shit." I dashed into the house not bothering to take off my shoes. A pair of heels only meant one thing and I prayed I was wrong and those shoes belonged to Sakura or Ino. Sadly, my suspicions were confirmed when I skidded into the kitchen. Mira was here. She was here and... From the looks of it she was baking cookies with Naruto.

Well then. This was much worse than I had originally thought. I was stuck between turning around and forgetting what I saw and heading in there demanding Mira to leave. If she got involved nothing would get done. Besides, I was the only one who could bake _anything _with Naruto. Mira had no right.

I stepped into the kitchen and cleared my throat. Immediately their heads turned, both faces painted with shock. Mira was quicker to recover and flashed me a smirk.

"About time the tiger waltz into our trap." she held up the metal pan of cookies. "We made some, but you can't have any~ Isn't that right, Naru?"

What? Did she just call _my _Naru, Naru? No. Not okay. I flashed her a glare—noticing quite well that Naruto still wasn't looking at me—and crossed my arms. "Mira, what are you doing here?"

She looked at me as if I asked her a really stupid question. I'm pretty sure I have the right to know why my long, _long_time ex is baking cookies with my current boyfriend, do I not? Still, she gives me this patronizing look and holds up a cookie. I catch how gaudy her fake red nails are and don't hesitate to make a comment about them.

"First of all, I _just _got my nails done by the hottest nail artist in Tokyo, so take your concerns up with him. Secondly, if you could calm your jealous side down, we're baking _cookies. Baking. _I don't see what's wrong with this. Besides," she scooted the tray across the table, her look of annoyance melting into one of pure, devious delight, "they're for you."

Oh, so she was playing this sort of game—wait, what? Blinking, I stared at Mira, to the cookies, to Naruto who still refused to look at me, then back to the cookies. They... were for me? Why in the world am I so monumentally shocked by this? Mira raises an eyebrow and looks at me imploringly. I take it as my chance to sit down, and she grins.

"Alright. My work here is done. I only came here to raid your kitchen and cuddle close with this cutie over here," she cooed, pinching Naruto on the cheeks. He yelped and slapped her away. Hn. She deserves a good slapping. Mira cackled and slung her bag over her shoulder. "Stop being stubborn you two and work things out. Then call me. We'll need to work things out from here." her tone went from light to serious in a matter of seconds, her eyes narrowing towards me.

Mira was expecting me to call her, and any other option otherwise wasn't even applicable. With a sigh, I watched her go, hating the situation she put her in while somewhat rejoicing in the fact that my work was cut in half in trying to find Naruto. I stood there, and Naruto sat there, and I really had no idea what I was going to do or say though I wasted a good hour sitting in my car planning for this moment. Only I thought this moment would come, much, much later.

Suck it up, Uchiha. You have the prime opportunity to make things right with Naruto and you're standing still debating over what? The right words? Since when were words truly your driving force. Swallowing past my insecurities and doubts, I walked over to Naruto. He hadn't moved nor had he looked at me since I've entered, but that's alright. I'll get those eyes to look my way soon.

I wrapped my arms around his shoulders. He flinched but slowly he relaxed into my grasp.

"You could at least eat my cookies." Naruto muttered, refusing to look at me.

So I did. I took the biggest one and bit off half. They were gooey, fresh, and overwhelming mouthwatering. Mira probably took reigns of this cooking expenditure because Naruto was terrible in the kitchen, even with the most simplest of dishes. A crooked smile crawled onto my face.

"Delicious. About time you learned how to make something edible."

Naruto scoffed. "Don't even pretend like you know I made these. Mira wouldn't let me touch anything other than the bowl after I almost burned down the kitchen... again."

Apparently they clean up quick since I saw no signs of a hazard when I got here. However, I can't dwell on that. I have to set things straight. Make things right while Naruto's opening up to me. I buried my nose into his neck and sighed. "Will you look at me?"

"I don't know. Should I?"

"It would be nice."

"So would some answers."

"Didn't Mira tell you?"

For the first time, Naruto glanced over to meet my gaze. "Yeah. But this time I want to hear it from _your _mouth."

His eyes bore into mine, never giving me the option to back out. Not like I would, but if I took up the cowardly route I surely would have lost my head. I kissed his temple, his cheek, and finally his nose. After that, I had his full attention and told him everything: from Mira's sudden appearance to Madara's threat on not only our career, our relationship, but on _Naruto _himself. During the entire confession, Naruto's eyes never left mine which meant I saw every tornado of emotion that ripped through Naruto's face.

There was anger and fear and overall desperation tinged with sadness. His emotions were always so naked and pure that it almost hurt to watch them all play into focus, like I was viewing something I wasn't allowed to ever witness. When I had ran out of words to say, Naruto didn't move. For a split second I thought I had delivered my words wrong. That my reason for every little plunge of the knife I dug into our relationship for his benefit was all wrong, screwed up, _pitiful. _Then, those gentle and trembling arms wrapped around my neck and pulled me into him.

"I'm so sorry." his words crumbled away like a sandcastle attacked by the lazy lap of a wave. He trembled, tears splashed against my shoulder. He cried _for _me and I held him without being able to say one, single word. I simply held onto him as tightly as possible, hoping my message would be conveyed.

When he pulled back, I had my arms cupping Naruto's face to wipe away his tears. He smiled at me weakly and leaned into my palm, kissing the intricate lines that made up my hand. "Don't be sorry." I whispered, leaning so our foreheads touched. "I... I should have found a better way to handle the situation, but instead I took the cowardly route. It's all my fault."

"God," Naruto's chuckle sounded raspy and sore, most likely from long periods of crying. My heart lurched at the thought because I knew I was the reason behind every tear Naruto shed up until now. "Remorse does not fit you at _all._ Where's the cocky bastard I know and love?"

I smirked tiredly. Even in times of utter sadness, Naruto had the strength to inject some humor to lighten the mood. "He's probably hiding with his tail between his legs from the wrath of his upset boyfriend. I don't really blame him. Heard his lover's got a killer punch."

"And kick," Naruto added, his coy, adorable smile slowly stretching his skin. "Don't forget about my awesome, superhero kick."

"Oh. Couldn't possibly forget that." I quipped. We sat there, in each other's arms, simply milking and enjoying every minute of being together for the first time in months. I leaned forward to capture his lips, because seriously my eyes were lingering on those delicious, addicting lips and my urges were too strong to ignore. Kissing Naruto sent fire, electricity, and a whole anthem of earthquakes charging to shatter my core. I felt myself shivering as our lips moved, completely in tune, completely and utterly _perfect. _Naruto nibbled on my bottom lip—that gesture alone was enough to drive me crazy with lust and want. As the seconds passed, our kissing became more passionate. I had Naruto resting on top of the kitchen counter, our bodies meshed and hands desperately tearing apart clothing to make skin-to-skin contact a reality.

Naruto thrashed from side to side as my lips left marks on his neck and collarbone. "S-Sasuke... w-we just made up and... w-what if...?"

I silenced whatever else he had to say with my lips. "I've been without you for _months_. I don't care if the entire population of Japan found themselves in our kitchen, I am making love to you Naruto Uzumaki."

Naruto shivered under my gaze, slowly nodding as a terribly vibrant blush conquered his cheeks. We were both naked and so, so terribly desperate to connect. I lined myself up to Naruto's entrance and leaned forward so my lips ghosted his ear. "Claw me. Bite me. Scratch me. Leave all the marks you want, Naruto. I want to feel you... Every little part of you, I want your essence engraved into my skin." And I would do the same. Every inch and microfiber of my being I'd engrave into Naruto's bones so he would know that he's mine and I was his. So we'd always be reminded that nothing, absolutely _nothing_ could tear us apart.

I pushed in slowly, feeling every part of Naruto's body squeeze me and welcome me in. The warmth.. the heat... so familiar and so amazing I trembled once I was fully inside. Naruto followed up with my words, trailing his nails down my back. A pleasant burn danced along my back.

"D-Don't hold anything back." Naruto rasped, his hips lifting to urge me to start. "Make me forget... everything that's happened... in the past months... Make... new memories with me."

I complied, thrusting into Naruto brutal and fast, pouring in every ounce of emotion I've been holding back for years. The bedpost slapped against the wall. Our screams and yells of pleasure bounced around the room. Naruto and I went about three rounds before I finally collapsed. My fingers trembled with the aftershocks of pleasure still buzzing through my system. When I opened my eyes, Naruto was curled to my side, looking peaceful and content—for the first time in a while. He curled into my chest and I happily accepted him into my arms.

"I love you." I found the words coming out of my lips before I even realized it.

In response, Naruto nuzzled his nose into the crook of my neck and chuckled. "Don't worry... I believe it. And I'm definitely going to feel it tomorrow morning." he smiled up at me; warm, brilliant, and bright. "I love you too, Sasuke."

+MAXED-OUT: The Next Day+

"Get out."

Mira shot me the finger before flipping through her magazine again. Her mane of red locks was pulled up into a ponytail today, hm. Different. But she seriously needed to leave. Mira had burst into our Penthouse at around 9 this morning. Since Naruto nor I are morning persons of the sorts, her exuberant personality was a hazard to our way of life and she needed to leave; immediately.

But, as expected, Mira only dances to a tune of her own.

"Is that any way to treat a guest?"

"No. But it's a surefire way of treating an unwanted pest."

"Ooo," Naruto grinned widely and made jeering noises her way. "Sasuke got ya good~"

Mira sneered. "I think I like you better pouty and depressed."

"I resent that!" my lover huffed, though Mira didn't really care either way and focused her attention on me. She had her fingers running through her hair, her lips languidly chomping down on her gum.

She was worried—sadly I'm still able to point out her mannerisms and habits—but wasn't about to say anything publicly. "Contrary to what you might think, I came here for a reason this morning." she slid her palms across the table top. "A plan of action for how we deal with Big, Bad, and scary uncle would be beautiful right about now."

"I have one!" Naruto spoke up. I slid a hand over my face. Here we go again. Mira, who had no idea how ridiculous Naruto could get when provoked, encouraged him to continue. Terrible mistake. "Okay, so we kidnap Madara, right? We stuff him into this body bag and then dump him into the sea! It's brilliant!"

Mira stared Naruto down for what seemed like forever before she looked at me with her eyebrow. "Does he always act this stupid or is today an exception?"

"No," I smirked. "He's like this everyday."

"Oi!" Naruto shot up, obviously offended at being jabbed but not one, but two people in a single go. "I'll have you know my plan is foolproof! And we wouldn't even have to worry about his body washing up on shore because the sharks would eat him! I'm telling you," he folded his arms across his chest, looking extremely haughty for a truly terrible idea, "my plan is genius!"

"Alright. Sure. We'll go with your plan." Mira rested her cheek against her palm. "Just tell me how you plan to sneak into Madara's office when I know for a _fact _he has hidden cameras and security guards hiding out just waiting for someone silly like you to come along to throw their asses into jail."

I suppose there was one thing about Mira to admire, she surely knew how to pop someone's bubble in just the right way. Naruto deflated into a pouting, limp balloon and refused to look at me or Mira.

"Gosh, at least I tried!" he mumbled under his breath.

I rolled my eyes. Cute, Naruto, but Mira and I were in a jam. Madara expected us to be his obedient puppets and follow his lead. _"Play the perfect couple and I'll play the benevolent protector of the things you cherish most." _With our lovers on the line, we had to obey him—even at the cost of losing everything. Madara was twisted, course, and surely not above using whatever terrible tactics he could to get his way. And for what? Because his estranged nephew who a few months before he couldn't give to shits about came out of the closet? If I ever meet someone so narcissistic in my life, I've known I've lived too long.

But, I need a plan. Something to set Madara back once and for all. A simple, clean cut that Madara would dare make a grab for. As my mind started to process possibilities, Naruto had flipped the TV on. A reporter from Major was covering what was apparently "The Hottest Story to hit Japan, Yet!" Apparently, a huge record label—the name I never tuned into—was found to be involved in heavy loads of prostitution and drug smuggling. Major had the ability and prowess to rip into such scandals and shed every dirty little corner for the world to know. That's when it hit me.

If I wanted to tear Madara down, I needed to do so in a way that he'd never get back up again.

I needed a scandal.

I think Mira was on the same train of thought I was, because her smirk mirrored my own.

"You thinking what I'm thinking?" she asked, the mischievous glint shimmered in her eyes like fiery rubies.

"What?" Naruto popped in, looking confused as all get out.

I grinned. "How fast can you hook up a meeting with Major?"

Mira was already pulling out her phone and dialing Major right when I asked her.

Naruto was still spotting the 'deer in headlights' look and whipped his head back and forth. "Wait! What are you two on about? Please don't tell me this is one of those mindlink things exes have because if so I am _extremely _jealous!"

Rolling my eyes, I pulled Naruto into my arms and kissed his temple. That shut him up rather quickly. "Calm down, Dobe. Mira and I figured out how we can remedy our situation... but I'm going to need your help. Do you still have those contacts on you from recording _Notes & Keys_? The ones that made you look blind?"

"Uh... yeah? Why?"

The smirk I wore was absolutely wicked. "I'm going to need Haru to make one final appearance..."


	41. Two-Timing

Wow! It's been so long since my last update and I sincerely apologize once again! This chapter too long to write because of distractions. Literally this was open all day and because of writer's block it took a pretty damn good while to get everything written up. But here you go guys, on Christmas Eve chapter 41~

**Warning: Smut and language. This is also the second to last chapter. Next one will be an Epilogue of sorts.**

**Disclaimer: I OWN THE ACHING IN MY BOTTOM FROM SITTING IN MY CHAIR ALL DAY.**

ENJOY GUYS!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Forty-One: Two-Timing<strong>

"Okay, Naruto-kun. You can open your eyes again, now."

I seriously had to give credit where credit was due. Hinata was simply stupendous at her job. The best! And all of you should be insanely jealous that you don't have her as your hair and make-up stylist right now because you'd be blown away by her magic. She had flattened the mountain peaks of my hair so they fell like angelic, fluffy layers around my face. My hair was also a fiery orange compared to my golden yellow hair so Madara wouldn't get too suspicious. A blue barrette was used to pin up my fringe over onto the left side, giving a more swept-back feel. And have I told you how sexy I look with my blind eye contacts in?

Tyra Banks better get a new runway because I'm about to tear it up roleplaying as a blind man.

Now I think I should say that when Sasuke first told me his plan, I was a little skeptical. Okay, not a little. I was about to flip a table and walk the fuck out of dodge because his plan was borderline _insane _and dangerous for me to boot! I still remember sitting there five minutes ago being floored by his suggestion, and even more so about how complex the plan was for having a ten minute window to grow. What shocked me more was that Sasuke and Mira were pretty much on the same wavelength. Yes, I did get a little jealous when they started to go back and forth with ideas, even going as far as to complete one another's sentences. I stamped out that flame as quickly as it came. Can't get jealous again over what's not there.

Because Sasuke's here. With me. Not her. And it all would have been over if Madara won. Ugh, I just thought of that bastard's name and now my stomach's curling. I still couldn't believe how twisted Sasuke's uncle was! Like, come on man, not everyone in the world is going to be okay with our relationship but to go so far as to come in-between me and Sasuke, even involving another variable that really had nothing to do with us in the first place? Low, man. So fucking low even Flo Rida would be shocked. Anyways, I guess I should let you all in with this ingenious plan my boyfriend and Mira concocted.

I'll give you the shortened version since the longer one had me nodding my head off during every break. So they decided that the only way to get Madara off their backs for good was to have him so wrapped up in another issue, he had to let them free because he was too busy battling off his own demons. Sasuke brought up the idea of blackmail—a scandal. Something Madara wouldn't be able to shake off without heavy years of duels between himself and the media.

"Interesting," Mira mused, twirling a piece of red hair around her fingers, "but, as someone under his contract I know how easy it is for him to hide incriminating evidence against him. Not once have I heard anything bad about Madara that lasted even more than five minutes."

Sasuke made that usual, annoying humming noise he did when he was too lazy to actually speak real words. "True, which makes everything ten times more difficult. But I have an idea. Do you remember the scandal about five years ago where my uncle allegedly had a reputation of sleeping around with younger males?"

At this point I spit out my tea. Because, dude, Madara's like... a geezer! And he's sleeping around with _younger _guys? Um. Gross man. "Wait." after I finished my sputtering moment, I raised my hand in the air. "How old were these guys?"

Mira frowned deeply. "High school students. I think in their Junior year if my memories not full of holes."

"Oh God." I almost threw up the five cookies I ate.

Sasuke put a comforting arm around my shoulder to calm me down. It worked wonders, let me tell yah. "For months the media pounded at his door for answers. It wasn't until Madara finally used his own resources to shut them up, but they did some serious damage. His reputation was shot after that and it took him a long while to build himself up again." Sasuke leaned back against his chair, folding his arms across his chest. "My father wouldn't even let him back into the company until this year. A stupid idea on his part." he frowned.

After that, I asked Sasuke what his big plan was. When he looked at me a bolt of electricity ran down my spine. But not from anything romantic like a rush of love, or a spike of arousal. Oh no, this shiver came from straight up _fear_. The look in Sasuke's eyes was absolutely mental, and at that point I was seriously considering recommending him to a psychiatrist.

"Naruto, is Hinata available right now?"

I don't know why he was asking me since we were both well tuned with Hinata's schedule but I nodded anyways. I wasn't about to say something stupid when he was giving me crazy, Sherlock eyes. "Why?" oh God. There was suspicion in my voice. He's going to hang me by my toenails now.

Shit. That smirk. That smirk he was making should not have even been legal! "Call her and tell her it's an emergency. Like I asked, we're going to need Haru to make one final appearance as a blind, _vulnerable_, high school boy looking for a chance to make his debut."

Mira, at this time, had gotten way too excited over this idea and was gushing over how she could whip out a backstory for me in three minutes flat. I didn't believe her so she challenged me and, well, that girl was scary when you gave her a pen and a piece of paper. She constructed a backstory for me in no time. From how I got blind, to why I wanted to be in entertainment, even why I like cats—in case Madara asked that sort of question. She had everything down to a T, and by then I had no other choice but to sit back and watch Sasuke and Mira collaborate on the finer details of the plan.

So yeah, thirty minutes after that and Hinata had did a wonderful job of getting me ready for my big debut. Mind you, while I'm sitting on this little orange ottoman in front of my vanity mirror, I'm extremely nervous. My hands are twitching and if I have to make a dry swallow one more time I'm bolting for the nearest producer of water. If that wasn't all, I could see the curiosity practically exploding in her lilac eyes. She would never voice it out loud, but her sudden assistance without much of an explanation was probably eating her up alive. Sasuke promptly warned me before she came that I shouldn't get her involved because if our plan backfired we wouldn't want anyone else suffering for our actions.

Which, speaking of suffering for actions, I'm still wondering why I agreed to this in the first place.

Oh yeah. Because Sasuke's one convincing motherfucker.

When Mira had left to Linx and Major—who apparently had their own scores to settle with Madara—to drop scoops, Sasuke had pulled me into his arms for what seemed like an eternity.

"I'm sorry for requesting such a dangerous idea at your expense. Just..." he let out a ragged sigh against my neck, the action making me shiver and lean even more into his touch. "I just couldn't think of another way to finally be free of his bondage. For us to finally be together without interference. If you're against the idea, feel free to speak up now." Sasuke's hands came up to cup my cheeks. And when I looked into his eyes I saw a vast sea of overwhelming sincerity. "I don't want to do anything that makes you uncomfortable."

His words were ironic, really, since he was putting me in a situation where I was allowing Madara to cop a feel for free, but I couldn't find the power in me to be sarcastic. Not when he was looking at me with such desperate eyes. I knew deep in my heart that Sasuke thought long and hard before voicing this plan, despite the spontaneity of it all, Sasuke wasn't going to jump the gun on anything if there was a chance I could be harmed. And I trusted Sasuke with every fiber of my being. He and Mira had come up with so many back-ups and security measures so the minute Sasuke gave the signal, the media would burst in and Madara would be framed.

It was all supposedly perfect, I leaned up and kissed him in silent agreement. I believed his every word.

Back to Hinata, though, I turned around in my seat and gave her my strongest smile. "I'm sorry for calling you out here like this without even a decent explanation. But I just wanted to thank you for being a kick-ass stylist! You're great at what you do and I'm pretty freaking blessed to have you in our team." I reached out for her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "I'll be safe. I promise."

I don't know if she truly understood my words, but the curiosity died in her eyes a little, slowly being replaced with reassurance. She was convinced, and that was all that mattered. A few minutes later, Hinata had packed her things up and left me alone to my thoughts. In the next... I glanced at my cell phone, hour I'd be arriving at Harmonic Studios—the castle where Madara reigned supreme. I'd be entering up an elevator for a private meeting, courtesy of Mira and her connections, with Madara. He'd touch me for fifteen seconds, I'd call out for help, and he'd be busted because by then Sasuke's plan would have come into full circle.

But I couldn't fight off this army of jitters hanging off my bones and skin. If everything was supposed to go perfectly, why was I so nervous? My heart hammered and I couldn't stop biting my nails. A habit I thought I had promptly locked away after reaching superstar status. I clasped my hands and bowed my head.

"God... I hope things go smoothly."

I really, really hope so.

+MAXED-OUT+

Is it too late for me to bail?

Sasuke and I are parked underneath Harmonic Studios right now, and he's adjusting everything for me like my hair and my earpiece. Every once and a while he'd smile that deliciously endearing smile of his and crack a joke my way. I'd laugh, of course, because he's actually really funny sometimes and the butterflies would immediately be obliterate for that one moment in time. Then they'd come back with a vengeance and I'd be left at their mercy again. Despite all his reassurance, I was still regretting this.

I think Sasuke could sense how insecure I was, since I was blabbering a mile a minute, because his hand immediately latched onto mine and his lips brushed my cheek.

"Don't be scared," he whispered. "I'll be there to save you the minute you call for me. Trust me, okay?"

I nodded, because I couldn't trust myself to speak right now with how close his lips were to mine. With a final kiss, I left his car and headed for the elevator that would take me to the main lobby. The ascending part was pretty cool. I mean, however it could be cool when you ride a fancy elevator with spiffy elevator music. Ugh. Scratch that. It's Pillar's music, and right now Neji's violin solo is playing. God, shoot me now.

A soft 'ding' and the parting of the elevator doors alerted me that I had reached my destination. For a good second I allowed myself to marvel at Harmonic Studios. This was my first visit here, after all, and I had to admit they were very... professional. Everyone from star to manager to hopeless dreamer was running up and down with a place to go and not one ounce of uncertainty in their step. The desk clerks were on their A-game today, because one only had to look at my direction to usher me at my desk and get me sorted out.

"Haru-san, was it?" she had her eyes on me but her fingers typing away at the computer screen with breakneck speeds. I was so impressed.

"U-Uh yes. I am. T-Thank you." I bowed slightly, quickly adopting my persona. Haru was shy, quiet, reserved, but friendly. He was respectful to the point of being recognized as a purebred gentleman. Though being blind, I was supposed to be able to manage on my own. Using my hearing, touch, and smell to help me around. But when I was meeting Madara, those advantages were supposed to go away. After all, the wolf wouldn't attack someone unless it knew where it stood in the power balance.

Within two minutes, she had handed me two sheets of paper, something that felt like an ID, and had called someone to escort me upstairs. "Those sheets I just handed you will be your release form and contract. Madara-sama will go over them with you for a better understanding. That ID will be how you enter and exit the building. Make sure you keep it on your person at all times, okay?"

I nodded furiously before taking a bow. "Thank you, Ma'am."

"It's my pleasure. Welcome to Harmonic Studios. Madara-sama will be seeing you now."

A hand rested on my shoulder and I held back the urge to jump. Haru was supposed to be attuned to his surrounding, be able to notice the faint presence of another person on him immediately. "Ah, are you my escort?" a voice as soft and delicate as music was what Mira described Haru to have. I looked up slightly, hoping I was facing whoever was my escort.

"That's me." the guy sounded around... thirty-two, if I had to give my best guess. He seemed really nice too. Maybe we could play pool together or something after his boss tries to make a go for my junk. "You ready to meet Bossman?"

Bossman? I almost snorted at that name. Bossman was way too cool of a nickname for stuffy old Mada-pervert to have. Do you like that one I made for him? Yeah, just thought of it now. Hold your applause. Smiling softly, I gave him a nod. "If you wouldn't mind."

Cool guy threw his head back and laughed. Man, he had a really nice laugh. "It'd be my pleasure."

The ride up this elevator this time around was much better this time because, first of all, Pillar wasn't playing. And secondly, Cool guy—who's name was actually Jin—kept on cracking jokes and telling me stories to break the ice. By the time we reached Madara's office, I wasn't so scared anymore.

"When you're done you should come find me so I can finish telling you the story about my Grandma's hip replacement!"

I laughed and gave him two thumbs up. Though, after this meeting, I probably wouldn't be seeing much of Jin anymore. The elevator doors closed behind me and now... now I was alone with the beast. My contacts I was using was glassy, giving the appearance of foggy eyes—a trait pronounced in someone who's blind. Though the pair I had was transparent and gave me a pretty good view of everything around me. Madara was sitting at his desk, scrolling through his iPad. When he noticed my arrival a tiny smile scarred his face—it was 100% fake, let me tell you—and he ushered me to have a seat.

"Ah, Haru-san, what a pleasure to finally meet you. My name is Madara Uchiha, President of Harmonic Studios." he held out his hand and I sat there, pretending not to notice for a few seconds.

I raised my eyebrows, as if noticing the gesture for the first time, and stuck out my hand to receive his shake. "Likewise. I-I'm a little nervous, to be honest." I looked away almost bashfully, imagining something kinky so a blush could scar my cheeks. "I've never been in the presence of someone so... notable. And, honestly, I didn't think you'd have the time to meet a nobody as me..." I turned back to meet his gaze shyly, only to duck them back to the ground.

Apparently Madara _really _loved the docile type.

This time the smile he shot me was more sincere, which just added onto the creepiness. He rested his chin in his palm, his eyes lit with amusement. "You flatter me too much, Haru-san. I'm just surprised Mira had such a talented acquaintance hiding underneath her belt without ever informing me." his eyebrows furrowed deeply. "She's normally quick to show off someone with promise."

I giggled, bringing my hands to cover my mouth. "Typical Mira-chan. I, uh, told her not to really boast about me. I'm not very confident about my singing skills so I always told her not to make a big deal." I let out a sigh as if I were annoyed by her actions. "I guess she finally stopped listening to me."

"Well I should really thank her for doing so." Madara hummed. "Because of her, I finally have someone who could go toe-to-toe with Charisma's leading artists. Your voice is a gift, Haru-san." he reached out to touch my cheek and I flinched. Violently. His hand was so cold. "Putting yourself down like that is very unbecoming for someone with such... talent." Madara's hand fell away, and there goes all my nerves. I had never thought that in a million years that Madara would be so... open. To affection. To a stranger. I just. Okay, Hinata must have really done a good number on making me look like Madara's type from what we could dig up in old newspaper articles. Because Lord have mercy, he was hitting on me hook, line, and sinker and I haven't even put on the charm yet.

"Um," I chewed on my bottom lip, "that's very thoughtful of you, Madara-san. But I only speak the truth. My talent compared to some of the other stars out there isn't much."

Sasuke and Mira both drilled into my head how much Madara _hated _insecurity, doubt, resignation. The more I put myself down, the more his anger would spike—subtly, of course. Because Madara was a man who masked his true intentions behind dubious actions, from what I've been told. Through my contacts, I could see the visible shift in demeanor. His eyes narrowed into slits, his fingers curled into fists, and he wasn't smiling that much anymore. This shift only lasted for a few seconds before he was all roses and flower fields again. Scary, let me tell you.

"So unsure of yourself. Surely you don't think such an attitude will get you far in this world." he let out a scoff and I slid a little lower in my seat for a few seconds, before sitting up tall.

"I... Excuse me, it's just become a habit for me to relax the spotlight off myself. My dream, though, is to become someone people can look up to and, bit by bit, I'd like to regain some self-confidence." I looked up at him shyly, giving him a tiny smile. "I'm hoping your company can give me that chance, Madara-san."

Madara pushed himself from the chair and walked around his desk until he was standing right in front of me. His hair was pulled up into a side ponytail that fell across his shoulder. A cock smirk danced across his face, his eyes lighting up with an emotion I really didn't want to place at the moment. "Of course, Haru-san. That's what Harmonic is here for. To give birth to talent the world will never get tired of. I'll _personally_," my spine curled when he said that word, "take charge of building your image. I simply need you to tell me a little about yourself. Nothing too personal, basic information such as goals, age, height—the works, will be necessary."

"Okay," I sighed. My mind racked up all the scenarios Mira had created for me to use in case this happened. My name was Haru Fushima, 19, around 6'3" and legally blind. My goals were to gain more confidence and to touch people with my music. As far as my background was concerned, both my parents died in a car accident when I was six, which resulted to my blindness. I made sure to take pauses when I was recounting the accident, as if I was still silently reeling from the massive effects it had on my life.

"But really," I swallowed, building up courage to deliver the hook for a perfect line and sinker. I had Madara believing me word for word right now, but I needed something to seal the deal. "I'm truly blessed to be where I am today. If I could, I would turn back time so my parents would still be near me but I can't. I know my parents are watching me from up above, and I can only use my blindness as my strength and not something to set me back."

"Oh?" Madara cocked an eyebrow. "And how exactly do you plan on using your impediment as a strength?"

I chewed on my bottom lip. "Well... Because of my blindness I've been able to work on other traits. Such as my sensitivity towards others both emotionally and physically. Also, I feel like I can use my story to touch others, like I hope to do. It's not everyday you here of a famous celebrity being blind and I hope that this can give me a better imprint on people's hearts."

The room was silent, and for a split second I thought I had turned Madara off for good. My eyes were closed by now so I couldn't even read his body language but when I felt the air lighten I knew I was in the clear. I reopened my eyes to see Madara smirking at me.

"Uh..."

"Haru-san, your story has sparked my interest quite a bit. Such pure, powerful feelings will surely get across to your fans excellently. Now I need to know one more thing before I can finish things up. For future reference sakes, the population we're aiming you at consists of Junior High students to Undergraduates in College—particularly females. Some of them will be laid back while others will be extremely pushy; psychotic even. They'll want to learn everything about you down to what sleeping position you prefer. So I have to ask now, do you have a significant other?"

My face flushed furiously. On instinct I wanted to say 'Sasuke' but I snapped my mouth shut. Can't blow my cover so soon in the game. Shaking my head wildly, I denied every which way about having a lover.

Madara seemed pretty damned pleased if his smirk said anything. He put away his iPad and walked my way, leaning over to cup my cheek. "Excellent. The public loves a bachelor in his prime." he let his hand linger there for a few seconds before he returned to his seat.

An hour later he had my contract all typed up, my manager picked—which, surprise surprise, he'd be managing me himself—and my schedule for the next week. I'd be working my way up with small time variety shows. I eagerly agreed with his decisions and showed my excitement to be working under his company name.

"That will be all for today, Haru-san. I can call Jin to escort you back down if you wish." Madara was starting to shut me out now that everything was squared away. I gripped my seat handles. Shit. Fuck. Fucking shit on the dinner table, he wasn't supposed to just stop! One does not send me mixed signals and then turn off the switch like that. I had to do something to reign back his interest.

Something... something seductive.

Son of a shit why can't I be seductive?

I squirmed in my seat, unsure of what my next move should be. Madara spotted my uneasiness like the crazy cougar he was and cocked an eyebrow. "Is something the matter, Haru-san?"

"Um..." I licked my lips and did my best to look somewhat alluring. Damn, I'm pretty sure I look like an idiot right now. "I was just, uh, wondering... Uh. If you could give me tips! For my next few shows! You know, uh, somethings I should keep aware of when dealing with hosts and.. stuff." lame, but it would have to do.

Madara seemed to mull this over for a few minutes before he shrugged. He ushered me to stand behind his desk, though I obviously wasn't supposed to notice it because I was blind. "Right," he sighed and before I knew it he was hovering over me with his hands in mine, leading me to his desk. His chest pressed against my back as he leaned over my shoulder to scroll through my schedule.

"Mr. Sakimoto is a very easy-going man. He'll warm up to anything with two legs and a brain so he's someone to push off to the side. However, when you go onto Mrs. Sasagawa's studio she's a little more tight-laced. Harder to please and even harder to impress, so I suggest you bring your A-game to deal with her." his breath ghosted beside my ear and I shivered. Fuck, this breaching of personal space felt very uncomfortable. I had every urge to scream out for Sasuke since I had the earpiece safely lodged in my ear, but he warned me not to say anything until Madara attacked. Sasuke hadn't said much to me either so I can only assume he's waiting...

I gulped when his words hit my ear next. "Ne, Haru-san, are you listening?" Madara chuckled darkly in my ear, thank God the ear without the earpiece, with his hand on my hip. "Or perhaps I'm a little too close?"

Come on, Uzumaki. Stay strong. Don't turn around and punch him in the balls, yet. "I-I'm fine. Just... No one's really... I haven't..." I blushed, "This intimacy is a little... new to me, sorry."

"Nothing to apologize, for. I will admit that I am close to you on purpose." wow, subtly is definitely something you don't put in your morning bowl of cereal, huh? "Don't tell me you've never experienced the pleasure of another human body on yours?" he purred. Whoa. Whoa. _WHOA. _His hands were getting a little too Dora the Explorer for my taste. I couldn't hold back the squeak that flew from my mouth when his hand reached up my shirt. His fingers were cold, making my stomach jump.

"_Naruto, is everything alright? I know you can't respond, but be brave. I'm standing right outside the door and Mira's hiding in the closet." _My eyes peeked over to the left where Madara's closet was. Mira had sneaked in an hour before my meeting when Madara would be out on his lunch break to hide in the closet. She had a camera and was silently snapping away at all of this debauchery, or supposedly snapping away at the debauchery because if she wasn't I'd be extremely pissed right now.

"_Say the words and I'll save you, Naruto. But until then just hold on."_

Hold on. So much easier said then done when you didn't have a burning hunk of pervert hanging off your body. But I had to. No matter how much I hated it, I had to hold on because I wasn't risking my sanity, or my purity, for myself. I was doing this for Sasuke and Mira also. So they didn't have to be bounded to a horrible lie anymore. I was doing this for _me and Sasuke_. So we could be happy together once more.

With new found determination, I allowed Haru to fully takeover. Madara had long since dropped any platonic pretenses and was attacking my neck full-speed. I let out a tiny moan, for dramatic effect, and looked at him from the corner of my eye.

"M-Madara-san... I-I don't understand... Why?"

He spun me around, pushing me so my back was flat against the desk. A gasp jumped from my lips as I felt his body press into mine. Madara was leaning over me with a devilish grin on his face. A disgusting chill ran up my spine knowing his face was inches from mine.

"Why, you ask me?" he chuckled as he pinned my hands above my head, his smirk intensifying. "Hmm, perhaps because I find you too adorable to simply let you go. It's been a while since someone so cute has fallen into my grasp. And since you don't want to leave..." he leaned forward, his tongue trailing around the shell of my ear.

I gasped, my back arching. Sasuke's voice was right in my ear the entire time, telling me how he's holding back from storming in and ripping Madara off my body. He's telling me how much he loves me . He's telling me that when this is all over, he's stealing me away to a place where no one can find us.

Madara's hands are all over my body. Touching, caressing, kissing places where only _Sasuke _should kiss. But since I'm Haru, I'm supposed to slowly succumb to his advances up until the point where Madara's fingers reach down my pants and...

"Madara! N-No! Stop!"

"Stop?" Madara purred, his fingers coming to wrap around my flaccid cock. "But we've only just begun."

_BAM! _About fucking time. I turned over to see Sasuke with a crew of camera man snapping away and recording what would be the scandal of the century.

"I see you're still hitting on those high school boys, Uncle." Sasuke held his camera up high, shaking it like a rubber toy with Madara being the doggy. "Weren't you supposed to see the error in your ways and go clean?"

"Obviously not~" Mira sang, coming out from her hiding spot. She had a video camera in her hands and a wicked grin on her face. "You'd think he'd learn how to hide his feelings but boy was I wrong. From the minute Naruto walked in Madara over there was eyeing him up like freshly cooked steak."

"N-Naruto?" Madara choked. His eyes shot downwards and I gave him a little wave.

"Ay there, Madara. You're a little heavy so mind getting off of me? My boyfriend's not very happy that you've tried to fuck me."

Madara jumped off of me like I electrocuted him. His eyes danced from Mira, to me, to Sasuke, to the cameras behind him. I watched as the world around him started to spin before he narrowed his eyes towards Sasuke. "You!" he hissed, balling up his fists. "I _warned _you never to cross me! What is this foolishness?" he barked, pointing to the camera man who were writing down everything and recording the whole scene.

"Oh. Them?" Sasuke pointed behind him. "There the camera crew I paid to catch you in the act. And Naruto," his eyes shifted to me, pure relief and happiness swimming in his eyes, "you can come over here now. I honestly can't fight back my urge to hold you right now."

He honestly didn't have to tell me twice. I bolted into his arms not caring who saw anymore, because we won. Madara couldn't do anything with a whole slew of malicious camera men in front of him. By tomorrow morning his image would be ruined and we'd be free.

I turned around in Sasuke's arms to stick my tongue out at Madara who was bursting at the seams. "Sucks to suck, doesn't it?"

"Y-You!" he threw a finger my way. "Naruto Uzumaki, am I correct?"

"The one and only," I grinned.

"You tricked me!"

"That I did."

"I was framed!" Madara turned to the cameras next. "These children are troublemakers! None of them should be worth a minute of your time!" after taking a few seconds to calm himself, Madara straightened out his tie and offered the crew a more pleasant smile. "Please, if you allow me some of your time I can make this misunderstanding go away. It'll be well worth your while if you do so."

"I don't know~" I sang, looking over to the camera crew who were all snorting and giving each other looks. "They don't look like they're ready to cooperate anytime soon. Besides," I smirked directly at Madara, "It's not like you're on friendly terms with any of these guys behind me, right? Linx and Major are known to be _very _feisty when it comes to lost scoops."

"And you dropping your last scandal lost them a lot of money," Sasuke chimed in.

"So," Mira sang, "you're screwed. I'd give up if I were you. Save yourself some strain of dignity if you have any left."

Madara was truly left speechless and I, well, I was extremely happy that things went over better than expected. I twirled around in Sasuke's arms, wrapping my arms around his neck. Pulling him down for a kiss, I let every emotion I had from the minute he announced this daredevil plan to our success pour through the kiss. When we parted, both our faces were flushed and we were smiling like idiots.

"Ne, Sasuke, take me home already. I think we need to celebrate our victory, huh?"

The spark that erupted in Sasuke's eyes told me he was following my line of thought, perfectly. "I couldn't agree more." he looked over my shoulder at Mira who was dealing with the camera crew and giving off orders. "Mira, you've got everything under control here?"

"You still ask really stupid questions, Sasuke!"

I've come to realize that Mira was someone in a whole other dimension than me, and I was pretty happy being as far away from that universe as possible.

+MAXED-OUT+

My back arched as Sasuke's kisses trailed down my chest towards my stomach, leaving a fiery trail in their wake. My eyes rolled back into my head, all thoughts seemingly incoherent and illogical. I wrapped my fingers in Sasuke's hair and pulled him up for a kiss.

"Sasuke, stop being such a fucking tease and _take me._"

Sasuke was quick to please. In a second, he was inside of me, pulsating and warm and _oh so hard. _I moaned at the feeling of being filled, my insides stretching, my mind turning into a puddle of pleasurable mush. I wrapped my legs around his hips and started to thrust slowly, hoping he would get the message.

He caught on pretty damn well.

Our moans mingled in the air as our bodies rocked back and forth. The tempos of our bodies increased as Sasuke's pace grew and grew, with my hips meeting me thrust for thrust. I clawed at his back and he gripped on my hips. I moaned his names so many times, the rest came out slurred and unintelligent. He slammed into my sweet spot repeatedly with each strike causing stars to fly across my eyes. Before I knew it I was cumming all over our stomachs, moaning Sasuke's name. He came inside me a few seconds later and I moaned, loving the feeling of him filling me up.

Sasuke collapsed on top of me, our sweaty chests rising and falling rapidly, our lungs desperately searching for air. I pulled Sasuke in for a lazy kiss before our lips separated.

"Hey you," I whispered, with a lazy grin on my face. My orgasm was still rushing through my veins at the moment.

"Hm?" Sasuke nuzzled his nose into my hand.

"I kind of hate you, you know."

"You're ruining the moment, Dobe."

"No listen. I hate you for putting me what I went through today, but I love you because I would have done that and more if I had to to save what we had. To save you. So, I guess my love outweighs the hate, huh?"

"Idiot..." Sasuke scoffed and rolled onto his side, pulling me flush against his chest. "I wouldn't want to put you through that ever again. It's only because the opportunity was right and I was desperate that I even _thought _of the idea. Knowing that he'd be touching you in ways only I'm allowed to..." he squeezed me tightly, burying his face into the crook of my neck. "It ate me up inside."

Oh... Oh Sasuke. You big log of emotions, you. I turned around in his arms and pressed a kiss to his nose, smiling up at him. "I know. So don't worry about it, anymore. Let's just focus on the now."

The now where no one can stop us anymore. Not parents or guardians or the past or some stupid media figure. Absolutely no one was in the way of our relationship anymore, and that, made drifting off to sleep all the sweeter.


	42. Heart Song

Well here's the last chapter of MAXED-OUT. I hope you all enjoy it (: Very sorry for how long this took me to update. Musical and school are a terrible combination aslkfsdlkfjsdaf.

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><p><strong>Chapter Forty-Two: Heart Song<strong>

_Thump. Thump. Thump. "Goes my heart. For. You. Dancing to mixed. Up. Tunes. Oo~oo." Thump. Thump. Thump. "Pluck-ing-strings. Messed. Up. Words. To tell you a story of how much you mean to me." Thump. Thump. "It'd take two years to fill in the lines, to cover the world, to sing you this song, to show you how much you mean to me. Oo~oo."_

"New song?" Pein handed over a glass of water that was topped with a lemon—the most fanciest glass of water Sasuke would ever receive.

He took a swig. "Something like that." in all honesty this was the first time he had picked up his guitar, notebook, and silly idea that he could write a decent song to express his feelings. Ha, yeah right. More like how can one self-induce a migraine in four simple steps. "It's not coming out the way I want, though."

Pein regarded the raven coolly, sliding his towel in and around the circumference of a glass. "A songwriter having difficulties writing a song. Ironic, perhaps?"

"Your twisted sense of humor isn't needed," Sasuke frowned deeply. He could never understand why Naruto regarded this blunt and overly-sarcastic man so highly. Then he evaluated his own personality, and the fact that Naruto fell for him, and simmered down. _'This just shows he has bad taste in guys.' _The thought was more melancholic than he really wanted it to be.

"Contrary to belief, my sense of humor has been said to lift even the most depressed of beings out of the holes they dig themselves into." the bartender held his glass high in the air. Pein had one eye closed as he examined the glass in his hands. Not a spot in sight; _'Perfect.' _He set the glass down with its companions behind the counter. "Honestly I have no idea why you're struggling with this. You speak your mind on a daily basis. What's so hard about one song?"

_What's so hard about one song? _That was the million dollar question. If Sasuke could answer it with a word that was painted with truth so fully not a hint of sarcasm could be noted, he would. Without skipping a beat, moreover. Yet the answer wasn't even on the tip of his tongue.

Pein watched the varying emotions dance through Sasuke's face, uncertainty and confusion. He sighed, slipping out from behind the bar to take a seat next to Sasuke. "Don't kill what little brain cells you have left, Sasuke." Pein fingered through Sasuke's notebook, scanning over various lyrics and phrases. He scoffed and closed the book. "There's nothing wrong with what you have now. So stop sweating and get out of my bar." he narrowed his eyes slightly. "Naruto's a simple guy, worrying about the extravagances will only confuse his silly brain. Stay true and most importantly be yourself and he'll be putty in your hands." a tiny smirk crawled onto Pein's lips, knowing his words had struck home and hit hard.

Always overcomplicating matters, over thinking, worrying, stressing... Sasuke had forgotten to take a step back and breathe. Remember what their relationship was built on. Not fancy semantics and highly overdone euphemisms, but Saturday night movie nights, comical baking escapades, late night study sessions... Their relationship was only glamorized because of their repute in the world as highly acclaimed JPOP singers. If they never grew up with the limelight, Sasuke wouldn't have been unconsciously grabbing onto the best and superfluous way to express his feelings.

He never thought he'd be saying these words to Pein, ever, but: "Thank you." his quiet words danced around the empty club.

Pein had a rather pleased smile on his face. "That'll be three dollars for the water. I'll put that on Naruto's tab for you."

+MAXED-OUT+

"And one-two-three-four. One-two-three-four. Turn! Turn! Jump! Bend those knees! Kit, what are you doing? Your body must be at forty-five degrees when performing the twist! Raven, pick up your feet! You're sloppy!"

The harsh, Spartan dance training continued for another hour. Only when their dance instructor was satisfied did Naruto and Sasuke finally stop to suck in some air.

"T-Ten year... break... okay?" Naruto gasped out. His body was sprawled on the floor. His white shirt was rolled up and exposed his well-developed eyes stained with sweat.

Sasuke was happy to obliged. The raven was lying on his stomach. His heartbeat was erratic; desperate to break free from its bony confines. They had a concert coming up in the next two weeks. "A stellar comeback for survivors!" Jiraiya had boasted just a few days before. His vision for the concert was something far beyond the realms MAXED-OUT had ever touched before. Vicious, raw, and passionate. Vibrant, alive, and beastly. Jiraiya and Tsunade had spent ample time pounding and pounding into their skulls that for their next comeback tour they needed a whole new image.

"Fierce!" Jiraiya smacked his hand against the blackboard that screamed the word 'FIERCE'. "We need to show the world that you, MAXED-OUT, are not pretty boys—but survivors! Everyone knows what you've been through, hell, your stories have made nightly news more than once. We'll take the negatives and switch them around," he twirled his finger, "into a positive. Comprende?"

"The fact that you randomly threw in Spanish for no apparent reason gives me very divided feelings." Naruto deadpanned.

Jiraiya scowled. "I'm in no mood for your crap, punk. This is serious! We've pushed back your comeback tour long enough! Anymore and your fans will go in a frenzy. Need I remind you of the Kobe Incident?"

Sasuke and Naruto both visibly paled. No, they did not need a reminder of the events transpired on the fated 'Kobe Incident'. Images and memories were forever imprinted into their minds and hearts.

"That's what I thought," Jiraiya replied smugly. "Follow with me. Fierce, strong—SURVIVORS. That's our theme. The name of our comeback tour will be _Warriors Comeback. _We'll need songs that focus around one central theme; coming back from the depths of Hell as a stronger person. A twist to our normal soft, cutesy, image you've clung to. This is where I'll see whether you're actual performers, one who can morph with the tides, or class acts who can barely handle the change in temperature.

For the next three months I need your all. Every ounce of your energy is going into this comeback tour. If you can't give me what I want, leave. Because I'm not in the mood to deal with brats who doesn't want to show the world their change."

Jiraiya's speech was unexpected from the normally carefree man. His words shook the two to the core. Enough that when the intense dance practices and rigorous hours of singing almost became too much, Jiraiya's words would ring through their heads, rattle their hearts, torment them to continue. When one felt like giving up, the other would pick them up. Remind them why they're going through such hellish training.

"We have to show them we're survivors, right?" Naruto's cheeks were flushed. His shirt was drenched in sweat. Sasuke could see the slight wobble in his lover's knees. "If we give up... now... how can we show them... the warriors MAXED-OUT truly is?"

That night Sasuke and Naruto had practiced until four in the morning. Slept five hours and picked up from where they left off.

All in all, the training was hellish. The practices were brutal. On the final day, five days before the concert, Naruto and Sasuke had retreated into the sweet comfort of their room. Exhausted beyond belief, Sasuke pulled Naruto on top of him, falling on top of his bed sheets.

"How long has it been since we've done this?" Sasuke peppered kisses up and down Naruto's neck without any intention of delving into personal desires. His bones were too worn and he honestly couldn't trust himself to do anything more strenuous tonight.

A loss of breath. A slight arch to his back. Sasuke's lips felt like washing water poured down Naruto's body after completing a 5k marathon. "Too long," he murmured, nuzzling his nose against Sasuke's cheek. "I could go to sleep right now and not wake up for 30 years."

"Jiraiya will hang you upside down if you sleep through our comeback tour," Sasuke reminded him.

Naruto cracked a wild grin. "Totally still worth the try, though."

"True. Just don't come to me when Jiraiya comes after you with a pitchfork and torch."

"Extreme, much?"

"Maybe," Sasuke smirked.

For the next couple of minutes the two let the silence engulf them in a comfortable embrace. Submerging themselves into the soothing sound of the clock ticking, of Iruka making dinner downstairs, of the cars zooming outside their window. Naruto snuggled closer to Sasuke's chest, resting his head against his lover's chest. The soft, hypnotic drum of Sasuke's heartbeat almost lulled him to sleep.

"Sasuke."

"Yeah?"

"I wrote you a song."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. Wanna hear it?"

"No."

Naruto perked his head up, eyes narrowed in questioning. "Why not?"

"Because," Sasuke smirked and cupped Naruto's face. "I have a song for you, and I'm not going to let you hear it until the day of our concert—so it's only fair I place the same rule on myself."

A few seconds passed as Naruto's brain tried to process what he had just heard. He ripped of his shirt and threw it into the corner. "You have no idea how happy you just made me," Naruto had a silly, love-dazed grin towards his lover.

Sasuke had a huge amused grin eating his face. "I think I can grasp the main gist..." he wrapped his arms around Naruto's neck, pulling him down for a passionate kiss that lead to rather sweaty, steamy, acts held underneath the sheets.

+MAXED-OUT: Day of the Concert+

Naruto and Sasuke were backstage completely oblivious to the mayhem of stage hands, managers, camera men, make-up artists, and more running back and forth in a scramble to make sure everything was perfection; a paragon for generations to remember. Their hands were clasped and their foreheads pressed together as they whispered their ritual to one another.

"We're going to kick some major ass tonight," Naruto smirked. His heartbeat was going in a frenzy of high endorphins pumping through his brain. The butterflies raving in his stomach, his toes twitching, his fingers curling to wrap around a microphone, his throat ready to belt out chords, made him feel so... alive. This was what he loved. What he always wanted to do with his life. And he was able to have his dream along with the love of his life.

Pretty cool, wouldn't you say?

Sasuke mirrored the smirk and flicked Naruto on the forehead. "We can't call ourselves MAXED-OUT if we don't give them our all."

"Oh, we could, but Jiraiya would probably shoot us point blank if we throw all his Spartan training into the ground."

"Blaze of glory death?"

Naruto cackled, "Blaze of glory death, love."

"Oi! What are you punks doing back here goofing off?" speak of the devil. Jiraiya barreled into their space, face set into a permanent pout and eyes furrowed deeply. "You're in three minutes! _Three minutes! _Get your butts into gear before I kick them into gear!"

"Don't be so high maintenance, gramps! Have we ever let you down?"

"Do you really want me to answer that?" Jiraiya folded his arms.

"Possibly."

"Get on stage, brats." Jiraiya waved the boys over towards the stage, adjusting his head mike as the words: _'All ready to go.' _blasted in his ears. "The crowd's growing impatient so give them a show worth remembering!"

"Of course we will!" Naruto smiled over his shoulder, holding his thumb up high in the air. "We're MAXED-OUT."

Sasuke smirked in response. "We're the best unit in Japan. Giving a bad show is practically impossible for us."

"Yeah, yeah. Talk the talk but I want to see the walk that backs this all up out there!"

+MAXED-OUT+

"Whoa! Such a huge turn-out! You guys are fantastic!" Naruto grabbed onto the microphone, gazing out into the crowd of screaming fans and technicolor lights. "Gosh I'm actually getting kinda nervous! Grandma," he squinted his eyes and searched the crowd, "is that you?"

The crowd burst into laughter at Naruto's antics. Sasuke stood beside him with his arms crossed and a playful scowl on his face. "We haven't even been on stage for three minutes and you're already making a fool out of yourself."

"Fool? Oh no, Sasuke. It's called having _fun. _You should try it sometime."

"Please. I know how to have fun, Kit. I just don't engage in the sort of antics that get me in trouble. Remember the time at the beach where we—?"

"Ending this conversation now!" Naruto came up from behind to slap his hands over Sasuke's mouth. The crowd was in an absolutely uproar as their fanservice continued. Sasuke would say a snarky comment to which Naruto threw an sexual innuendo or two right back to get the crowd going again.

After a few rounds, Naruto came up to the microphone again. "Alright guys! I know you could see us banter and flirt all night long but you _did _come here for a concert! Not just to see two attractive guys go at it, ne?" there were hoots and hollers of agreements all across the floor. Naruto bounced giddly. "Awesome! Then let's start this night with a bang! _Overcome!_"

A powerful drum solo exploded throughout the stadium. Everyone was out of their seats jumping up and down as the excitement pounded across the ground. Naruto broke out into a sonorous first note.

"_You can't sway me. I'm like a mighty skyscraper extending to the sky! Fireworks exploded and I'm brighter than ever, stronger than ever, living forever._"

+MAXED-OUT+

An hour and thirty minutes later both Sasuke and Naruto were on stage, back to back, with sweat caking to every inch of skin. Their breaths were ragged. Their chests rose and fell at a haphazard pace. Yet the adrenaline that coursed through their system from the sight of their fans going crazy, screaming out their love and amazement for their performance, gave them a new strength to sing at least one last song...

"They want us to keep going all night," Sasuke cracked after taking a mighty swig of water. He opened the bottle and poured the remaining contents over his head. Oh the crowd _loved _that.

Naruto stood beside him with his hand on his side, taking a sip of water himself. "I know. It's crazy. Don't they know we have a Walking Dead marathon to catch up with?"

"I think you mean, 'Don't they know _I_—as in you—has a Walking Dead Marathon to catch up with?" Sasuke cocked an eyebrow, amusement painted clearly on his face. "You know I can't stand that show."

"This totally proves my point that you are batshit loco! How can you not like a show about the zombie apocalypse? I mean, come on. It's practically giving us survival tips on how to survive in case such a thing happens. Am I right guys?" Naruto turned the mic to the crowd. There were agreements and disapprovals all over, which made Naruto burst into laughter. "Okay. Okay. Maybe I shouldn't have gone so extreme with the criticism..."

"Damn right you shouldn't have," Sasuke came up from behind to wrap his arms around Naruto's waist, resting his chin on the boy's shoulder. "Besides. We still have one song left. So I'll be taking this," he grabbed the microphone out of Naruto's hand and steered Naruto over to a chair that stage crew had placed while Naruto was distracted. "And you're going to sit right here while I get my guitar."

Wait. _What?! _Naruto was completely stupefied. Just what was Sasuke planning to do, huh? He looked out the crowd, seeing the looks of confusion and wonder that also hit the crowd. _'Well shit, Sasuke. Way to pull out a monkey wrench. Wait, is that even the right way to use that...? Why would I monkey even have a wrench I mean come on—' _Naruto's ramble was cut off by Sasuke coming back with his guitar and a stage crew member dragging a chair behind him.

The chair was set and Sasuke sat down, placing the guitar on his knees. He did a quick, five-second check to make sure everything was tuned before he played a simple chord. The crowd fell silent.

"For a... long time. I wanted to give you something that showed you how I felt about you. You know, and I know, and the whole _world _knows that I'm terrible with words. With how to handle emotions. So I thought I'd write you a song instead..." Sasuke started to strum a slow, steady rhythm on the guitar for three bars before he opened his mouth and sang.

_Thump. Thump. Thump. "Goes my heart. For. You. Dancing to mixed. Up. Tunes. Oo~oo." Thump. Thump. Thump. "Pluck-ing-strings. Messed. Up. Words. To tell you a story of how much you mean to me." Thump. Thump. "It'd take two years to fill in the lines, to cover the world, to sing you this song, to show you how much you mean to me. Oo~oo."_

"_Yet I'm taking on this impossible task. I'm challenging my fate, and the world, as I think of the words to say. Think of what to do. To tell you how much my heart beats for you. Oo~oo." Thump. Thump. Thump._

"_And today I thought I could tell you. I thought my words and lines were perfect and complete. Then we locked glances and I fell. The words left me. I fell into the chasm you create so easily, and I'm swallowed by the feelings I fear I can never begin to describe." Thump. Thump. Thump._

Sasuke jumped into the chorus again about mixed up tunes and plucking strings. His voice was serene with a raspy edge to it. Naruto could barely keep his eyes off of the raven. He was simply... captivated. Awed. Inspired. Amazed. So many words and so little time to figure out what he was feeling. He could feel his heart swelling and threatening to explode. No song he wrote for Sasuke, in Naruto's opinion, could come close to the words tumbling out of Sasuke's lips. These feelings... they were real. There was emotion and thought and love put behind every phrase. And coming from someone Naruto once believed was incapable of ever loving _anything _... it was amazing.

"_Can you take the time, oh dear please do, to notice me. To hear me out. To believe in me and this and everything that we are. Oo~oo. If you can give me the chance, oh take my hand. For everything I've done, and everything I will do..." _Sasuke played one last chord, letting the notes reverberate through the crowd. Naruto's breath caught in his throat. Sasuke's hand was placed over his heart. "Is for the heart that beats... right in front of you." Sasuke paused. "I love you, Naruto."

For two minutes, there was nothing but silence. Naruto thought he could hear his heart pounding and screaming to escape it's bonafide prism for the sake of freedom. He gulped. Soon there were thunderous applauses and roars from the crowd. People were crying. Teardrops hit Sasuke's hand from where it touched Naruto's chest.

"Liked it a lot, huh?" Somehow through all the emotion Sasuke still managed to be a cheeky bastard. He lifted his head to wipe away some stray tears.

"Shut up!" Naruto hiccuped, allowing Sasuke to touch his face. "H-How could I not like that song...? It was beautiful..." he whispered, his eyes shutting half-way and a pleased smile on his face. "You should write me songs more often..."

The raven scoffed. "Dobe..." Sasuke pulled Naruto forward so their lips touched.

If everyone wasn't in an uproar before, they were now.

+MAXED-OUT+

Two weeks after their stellar performance and the media was still buzzing about the kiss that set off, and this is a quote, "Fireworks throughout the entire nation"! The album featuring their comeback single and Sasuke's song, _If Only Words Could Describe _sold millions of copies all over the world. To say Jiraiya was a happy camper when the sales report came in would have been an understatement.

"You little brats have done me well once more! Look at all that money we've made!" Jiraiya rubbed the packet of reports against his face, drool rolling down the side of his chin. "I can smell that promotion I've been aiming for coming right out of the oven for me to eat!"

Thanks to a great performance, Tsunade gave them a three day break before they would head out for a world tour. Sasuke and Naruto had spent the last two days going out on dates and enjoying steamy, passionate times underneath the sheets. On the last day of their vacation, Naruto was in the kitchen helping Iruka make some breakfast while Sasuke had just come back in from his morning jog.

"Ew. Please take a shower before you hug me." Naruto playfully nudged Sasuke off of him so he could flip the pancake.

Sasuke frowned. "I thought you enjoyed me all hot and sweaty."

"Yeah. While we're having _sex_. Not while I'm trying to flip a pancake!"

"Oi. What have I told you two about dirty talk around the kitchen?" Iruka wagged his spatula at the two boys who gave him less-than-innocent grins.

"Sorry Iruka!" they said simultaneously.

"Sorry my ass... Sasuke! Get a quick shower then come down for breakfast. This is your last day of vacation so feel free to take the time to relax because Lord knows you won't have anytime to yourselves once you start traveling."

Keeping true to that testament, MAXED-OUT decided that a day at home watching movies, playing video games, and simply being together in the privacy of their own penthouse.

"I think we should watch Avengers next."

"We watched that yesterday, Dobe."

"Sooooo? That movie is so good you can watch it five times in a row and it'll never get boring!"

"Tch. True, but you have a fetish for men in spandex.'

"Pfffft... maybe..."

"Besides," Sasuke started to lean Naruto back against the couch. "There's a much better way to spend the night I was thinking of that involves a little—"

"Oi! Naruto! Sasuke! Open the door!" Kiba was outside banging on the door with Pein, Gaara, Sakura, Ino, and Lee standing behind him. "I know you bastards are in their sucking face! Break up for like five seconds to let us in!"

Sasuke's eyebrow twitched and Naruto let out a groan.

"He's not going to leave unless we open the door..." Naruto muttered.

"Maybe we can sneak out the window."

"Tried that. Didn't work."

A haggard sigh. Naruto pulled himself out from Sasuke's embrace and headed for the door. "Oh well. Since when have we ever gotten a peaceful night to ourselves?"

"Is that some sick joke?" Sasuke cracked from the seat.

"Nah. Just the truth," Naruto opened the door and was bombarded with cheers, tackles, and hugs like he had been released from the military the day before. Despite their earlier moment being disrupted, a smile still managed to wiggle itself onto his face.

'_Who needs a peaceful last day, anyways?' _Naruto thought as he watched his friends do what they did best—annoy the ever loving shit out of Sasuke.

"Hey Naruto can I—"

"For the love of God Kiba if you touch that!"

Eh, maybe a peaceful last day would have better after all...

**The End**

* * *

><p><strong><strong>Well it's over. After like a year now? Maybe less than that I'm terrible at keeping track of time. Anyways a HUUUUUGE thank you to everyone who has reviewed, favorited this story and me, over the course of this story. It was really fun to write and I just thank you to everyone who has stuck with me to the very end. I really have no idea what my next project will be. I was thinking for writing for KHR or One Piece but maybe I'll stick to my Naruto fandom for another season.

Anyways you'll definitely hear from me again so once again thank you for reading this crazy story.

/THROWS FLOWERS AND STUFF AT YOUR FACES

Bye guys~ Till we meet again.

Oh wow that sounded like a cheesy anime ending.


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